Book review: The grim truth behind drug importation
Andrew Pritchard is truly a transformed man. Once the kingpin of a drug empire which flooded UK streets with marijuana and cocaine, he now works to help others. Andrew’s moment of quo vadis – ‘Where are you going?’ – came when he was serving a hefty prison sentence for drug smuggling, and he started to notice younger prisoners serving massive amounts of time for activities to do with what is known as ‘postcode wars’. He realised that these young men were, essentially, killing and warring with each other over the drugs that he himself was responsible for bringing into the country.
His book is a fascinating tale of how he grew up in London as a mixed-race kid. He got into sound systems and organising raves at a young age. This led to him making large amounts of cash which inevitably led to dealing with some of the most violent criminals in London. This book takes you into the world of drug-smuggling and shows shocking corruption within the Customs and Excise organisation. There is a detailed account of Andrew’s £100 million cocaine bust and the price he paid for it.
A very good book that should be read by those engaged in the murky world of drug dealing and postcode wars, Empire of Dirt shows that this is not the glamorous profession some may think it is. Lives are ruined and addiction is widespread, while kids are shooting and stabbing each other and being sentenced to 30 and 40 years for it. The drug world wrecks lives, and Andrew witnessed this whilst serving a huge prison sentence and seeing young men throwing the rest of their lives away.
Around one in eight prisoners in UK jails are in for a drug offence – such as importation, dealing, or simple possession. That’s not counting those in for violence or stealing linked to the drugs trade. Around half of all UK prisoners enter jail with an identified drug need. This book looks at the people behind those statistics.
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