Drug Warrior

Inside the Hunt for El Chapo and the Rise of America's Opioid Crisis

By: Jack Riley, Mitch Weiss - contributor

Narrated by: Brett Barry

DEA Agent Jack Riley, "[Chicago's] most famous federal agent since the days of The Untouchables" (Rolling Stone) tells the inside story of his 30-year hunt for the drug kingpin known as El Chapo, and reveals the true causes of the American opioid epidemic.

Jack Riley, grandson of a Chicago cop known for using his fists, was born to be a drug warrior. Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera, who farmed marijuana and opium poppies as a teenager in Mexico, was born to be a drug lord. Their worlds collided when Riley, a career special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, was promoted to lead the fight against Chapo on the border at El Paso.

Drug Warrior is the story of Riley's decades-long hunt for the world's most wanted drug lord, set against the rise of modern international drug trafficking, and America's spiraling opioid epidemic. Jack Riley started his career as an undercover street agent in Chicago busting small-time dealers. By the time he worked his way up to second in command of the DEA - a post few field agents ever reach - he had overseen every major mission to capture foreign drug kingpins since the 1990s, and had witnessed first-hand how El Chapo changed the game. As brilliant as he was lethal, Chapo not only decimated his competition, he foresaw Americans' dependence on opioids and heroin, and manipulated supply to increase demand. Riley's story culminates as he and the DEA win their greatest victory - the capture and extradition of his long-time nemesis - and Chapo faces his darkest fear: U.S. justice.

A riveting memoir of life inside the drug wars, and a never-before-seen glimpse of the inner-workings of the DEA, Drug Warrior is a critical examination of how America's opioid crisis came to be, and the extraordinary people fighting it.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2019 Jack Riley (P)2019 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Drug Warrior is a riveting account of America's drug war. Jack Riley steps right out of central casting: a tough cop on a mission. But Drug Warrior goes beyond Riley's gruff exterior and shows the trials and tribulations of fighting a war that can't be won. Riley's sense of duty is the heart of the book. Want to better understand America's first forever war? You'll find answers here."—Kevin Maurer, co-author of the New York Times bestsellers No Easy Day and American Radical

"For 15 years, Chapo has been Riley's white whale, the object of an obsession that teetered on derangement and sidelined everything else, including his family... A ruddy, white-haired bruiser who holds court from a bar stool, Riley seemed dispatched from the days of fedoras and cops lighting Luckies at crime scenes."—Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone

"Drug Warrior is an interesting look at the life and times of both Guzman, a major drug trafficker, and Mr. Riley, the DEA special agent who relentlessly pursued him."—The Washington Times

Told by a dea agent

It was fascinating to hear how they took el chopo down. Hearing how Sean Penn was a menace to one of the raids blew me away.

Good story, if a bit preachy

This is a good story about the rise of mexican cartels, and El Chapo, and is fast paced…but Jack Riley comes off both preachy and ludicrously cocky and narcissistic towards the end. It would have been five stars if it wasn’t for all of obnoxious self flagellation. Overall good performance by narrator with few weird moments.

Good not Great

Interesting story about the DEA and the rise and capture of El Chapo. But my lord does Jack Riley love him some Jack Riley. It gets worse as the book goes along. He’s never been wrong, and if everyone had just listened to him the war on drugs would be over. Also, didn’t need his random shots at politicians and officials he seemed to name call for no tie in to the story. It’s too bad because the info on the manhunt and insight into the DEA is great, he just makes it hard to listen to as he constantly is reminding you he is a legend.

Good Audio

Good audio book the narrator had a pleasant voice I wanted more dangerous stories from a DEA stand point over all food book

Interesting perspective

Big ego- but I guess you need a big ego to combat others with big egos. The reader sucks. His voice is ok but how did someone let a person reading a story on narco life not even not how to pronounce Medellin?

boring narrator

good info. boring presentation. did not discourage me from finishing.

would definitely read more from this author

Excellent

This is a reflective, honest, detailed, memoir, and analysis of a career that spans the most intensive years of the Drug War.

A book of thrill

The book is very captivating, it has lots of people involved in from Jack Riley’s enemies. The good guys are always going to win and bad guys are going to the finca.

regarding some of the reviews

Remember, Jack Riley is not an author. He is a cop and a man of integrity and not, as some reviews suggested, cocky or conceited. He did not take credit for the work of others and he is devoted to making people aware and thereby continuing the fight against drugs. I personally know that there is no exaggeration or self accolades in this book.

Incredible True Story

Loved how Author wrote from his heart. An amazing man whose heroic actions were portrayed so riveting that you can't put it down. Jack stated how proud of the DEA Team is is. A mans man