Swordfish: A True Story of Ambition, Savagery, and Betrayal

by David McClintick

An account of the U.S. government's only successful attempt to penetrate the highest levels of Colombia's drug world provides inside details of the narcotics operation and a provocative expose+a7 of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0679420193
• ISBN13: 9780679420194
• Release Date: April 1993
• Publisher: Pantheon Books
• Length: 606 Pages
• Weight: 2.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Truth Can Be [Almost] As Exciting As Fiction

"Swordfish: A True Story of Ambition, Savagery, and Betrayal" is the story of the largest drug bust to date. The book is very well-written, detailed, and very interesting. The book spans 1980 through 1987 in detail with the epilogue continuing through 1993. The book's characters are many and varied and range from individuals to governments. It is not a bang-bang shoot-em-up; however, there is violence and intrigue.I recommend this book highly for the reader beyond gratuitous sex and violence. December 22, 1980, Robert Darias, a man, despondent because he doesn't have enough money to buy Christmas presents for his children, shows up at the Miami DEA office and volunteers information on the Columbian drug connection. Carol Conner realizes the value and danger involved and immediately takes action to save his life and preserve his connection. This leads to a long, involved, multi-national, multi-level, dangerous, and deadly undercover investigation where the DEA and IRS set up a fake bank to launder the drug money. However, Darias becomes a political prize as the local DEA management fights for control so they can look good and get promoted. Then, he becomes a political prize as the FBI and DEA fight for control ... The fact that his life is on the line seems to be lost in the in-fighting. Meanwhile, in Colombia and Venezuela, the drug dealers fight among themselves. No one is safe. Then, enter the guerrillas ... Finally, arrests are made, trials are held, convictions are made and overturned, and life went on. The investigation snares politicians, bankers, politicians, judges, drug dealers, multinationals, and many in-between.The main characters are Mr. Darias, the undercover volunteer; Carol Connor, Darias's controller; and Marlene Navarro, the main target; however, the cast of minor characters reads like a who's who of 80s news reports. One REALLY nice technique is that Mr. McClintock puts a cast of characters at the very front of the book which really helps if you lose track. Mr. McClintock's writing makes the cast of characters come alive. Since Darias is undercover, the essence of pressure of working undercover is captured. The inter-office politicking frustrates Carol Connor, Darias's control. Mr. McClintock brings out the psyche of Marlene Navarro, the target, one of the "world's deadliest criminals." The detail is amazing and exciting. Mr. McClintock reveals the minor annoyances of listening to an unending wiretap and how the little nuances undermine the morale of the agents. The excellent trait of this book is that Mr. McClintock's careful management of detail doesn't drown the reader. If you want more detail, it is elsewhere in the book. However, the details make the book come alive. There are many readily-identifiable names and organizations from the news: DEA, DOJ, IRS, Department of State, White House, Miami Bank of Miami, the Government of Venezuela, the Government of Colombia, M-19, Reagan, Bush, William French Smith, and on and on