Smack express : how organised crime got hooked on drugs

Exposes the truth about the multi-million dollar heroin trafficking business and reveals the raw insides of the industry in a way only a policeman could. Organised crime in Australia doesn't just exist on our television screens. The real world of serious crime operates every day and in every state of the country. It is a multi-billion dollar business and at its core are the drug trade and a world of secrecy and self-protection where intimidation and violence are used as the first and only resort. Smack Express takes us deep into this world and unravels the web of criminal connections that are at the heart of the Australian underworld. It is about stand over merchants, big time drug dealers and small time crims, politicians, corrupt police, informants, undercover cops, contract killers, criminal gangs, and lawyers and accountants operating on the edge of the law. It is also about the Calabrian Mafia, triads and an international milieu that has connections across... "In 1980, Al McCoy wrote one of the most influential books on organised crime in this part of the world 'Drug traffic: narcotics an organised crime in Australia'. Smack Express is the book on organised crime for this generation. Clive Small & Tom Gilling take us back to the very beginning of this extraordinary story - to heroin importation by the Moylan Syndicate in the 70s (Michael Moylan had made his money from illegal casinos; he was protected by ex policeman Murray Riley and worked closely with Snapper Cornwell, who became a key figure in his own right) and Robert Trimbole's dominance of the cannabis trade. But their story quickly moves forward to recent times: to the gang wars of the 80s; to the rise of Cabramatta as the heroin capital of the nation; to Neddy and Stan 'the man' Smith; to the Balmain Gang, the Coogee Mob and the East Coast Milieu; to Michael Hurley (who recently died, leaving his loyal lieutenant, the exfootballer Les Mara, to face the courts), Roger Rogerson and Danny Karam; and finally to the Telopea Street Gang and the Lebanese Connection. Here is a book that authoritatively and meticulously fits all the pieces of this puzzle together to create one big fascinating picture of the drug industry in Australia."--Provided by publisher. Exposes the truth about the multi-million dollar heroin trafficking business and reveals the raw insides of the industry in a way only a policeman could.Organised crime in Australia doesn't just exist on our television screens. The real world of serious crime operates every day and in every state of the country. It is a multi-billion dollar business and at its core are the drug trade and a world of secrecy and self-protection where intimidation and violence are used as the first and only resort.Smack Express takes us deep into this world and unravels the web of criminal connections that are at the heart of the Australian underworld. It is about stand over merchants, big time drug dealers and small time crims, politicians, corrupt police, informants, undercover cops, contract killers, criminal gangs, and lawyers and accountants operating on the edge of the law. It is also about the Calabrian Mafia, triads and an international milieu that has connections across Southeast Asia and into Columbia.Authoritative and meticulously researched, Clive Small and Tom Gilling fit together all the pieces of this frightening and fascinating puzzle. Theirs is the book on organised crime for this generation. Organized crime in Australia doesn't just exist on television screens. The real world of serious crime operates every day and in every state of the country. It is a multi-billion dollar business and at its core are the drug trade and a world of secrecy and self-protection where intimidation and violence are used as the first and only resort. Smack Express takes us deep into this world and unravels the web of criminal connections that are at the heart of the Australian underworld. It is about stand over merchants, big time drug dealers and small time crimes, politicians, corrupt police, informants, undercover cops, contract killers, criminal gangs, and lawyers and accountants operating on the edge of the law. It is also about the Calabrian Mafia, triads, and an international milieu that has connections across Southeast Asia and into Columbia. Authoritative and meticulously researched, Clive Small and Tom Gilling fit together all the pieces of this frightening and fascinating puzzle. Theirs is the book on organized crime for this generation. Smack Express exposes the raw insides of Australian organised crime and the multi-billion-dollar drug trafficking business that is at its core, and in a way only a senior police officer could