Henrik Krüger

Great book on what happens when governments (following short-sightened policies) decide to look another way when it comes to crime because it hurts the other side (USSR in this case). As a consequence underground shadow state(s) emerged that just kept on with criminal activities. These organizations did not disappear with USSR but kept thriving and strengthening its links to official forces while now seeking some other common enemies as a reason for continuing existence.

Highly recommended.… (más)

In a somewhat meandering and informal manner the book traces the development of the post-WWII 'French Connection', the Corsican mafia controlled supply of Turkish heroin into America, the use of its profits after the war to fund various nefarious political dealings in Europe and how it was eventually shutdown in the 1970s only to be immediately replaced by Italian-American mafia controlled Southeast Asian heroin.

Providing copious sources of underworld figures consorting with intelligence officers, politicians, and a network of ex-Nazis the author dubs 'international fascism' the author posits the shutdown of the Corsican supply was not so much a law enforcement action but the confluence of changes in mafia control of drug distribution, a need for revenue to finance off the books operations in Southeast Asia, and the Nixon administration attempting to create a new super police/surveillance force directly answerable to the president that would target political dissidents under the guise of a war on drugs.… (más)