To all the narcotics investigators that have been through the door, they know.*

Trophy ShotHere is an old school story about the good old days of narcotics enforcement. First time out results almost never gets duplicated on subsequent occasions. Some of that is because every time we implement a new tactic we educate the bad guys. 

The other reason is that the guys that came up with the original concept knew they were out there where the buses don’t run. So they planned and schemed, redrafted and changed things until they covered all the bases. Those that came after were just so enamored with the “flash” that they never recognized the hard work and effort put into the operation by the original crew. I have never met these guys, but I know them and am proud to call them brother.  The-wedding-sting.

Absent the sting this was the standard operating procedure. Send the narcs in, make as many buys as possible, until there are a sizable number of defendants. Indict them all, some on multiple counts and then bust out.

The bust out would overwhelm the District Attorney and local court system neither of which were equipped to deal with that many defendants. Then it was, “Come on down, Let’s make a deal!” Defendants looking at multiple charges and potentially life in prison was offered probation on one charge, the others to be dismissed. The defendants are not to blame for disrespecting the system, the system did it for them.

Several of the narcs featured in the story has since died of old age. Rest in peace, the war is over, we survived to do other things; we won.

*Dedication: The Unit, Into the Briar Patch a novel by Paul Battaglia 2nd edition coming in April 2018