As someone who's watched The Wire, and seen accounts of drug raddled neighbourhoods in Baltimore, I thought I had a handle of the level of the drug issue in the USA.
Reading this book though, I know realise I had no idea of the sheer scale of drugs being moved around and the staggering amount of cash changing hands.
This book follows the life of the Flores twins, Junior and Peter, who were major drug traffickers in Chicago. They marry Olivia and Mia and all enjoy the benefits of the high rolling life for a while. However, as they find themselves deeper in the pockets of Mexican drug cartels they realise that they are either stuck in that violent life forever or they have to bring the whole lot crashing down by testifying against the drug barons.
They choose the latter and a life of wires, prison and witness protection begins.
It's hard to feel much sympathy for any of them - they chose that life after all. If being kidnapped, constantly under threat of death and living the rest of their years looking over their shoulder are the consequences of obscene wealth for a while then I'll stick to an ordinary level of income thanks!
Reading this book though, I know realise I had no idea of the sheer scale of drugs being moved around and the staggering amount of cash changing hands.
This book follows the life of the Flores twins, Junior and Peter, who were major drug traffickers in Chicago. They marry Olivia and Mia and all enjoy the benefits of the high rolling life for a while. However, as they find themselves deeper in the pockets of Mexican drug cartels they realise that they are either stuck in that violent life forever or they have to bring the whole lot crashing down by testifying against the drug barons.
They choose the latter and a life of wires, prison and witness protection begins.
It's hard to feel much sympathy for any of them - they chose that life after all. If being kidnapped, constantly under threat of death and living the rest of their years looking over their shoulder are the consequences of obscene wealth for a while then I'll stick to an ordinary level of income thanks!