Busted
The inside story of the UK's biggest ever drugs bust
by Edward Laxton
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Pub Date Dec 01 2018 | Archive Date Sep 05 2018
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Description
The incredible insider view of the UK’s biggest ever drugs bust, by the undercover ‘hippy’ cop at its centre.
Martyn Pritchard, a hippy, drug squad detective, based in Oxford, lived and worked undercover for 51⁄2 years, during the 1970s.
A young warden was cultivating a plot of cannabis plants in the Lions’ Reserve at Longleat Safari Park, in Wiltshire. This became an inquiry for the detective and a potential story for a Mirror reporter, which is how the author and detective met. Together they became entrenched in the biggest drugs scandal Britain has ever known.
The same Longleat warden had also offered up LSD tabs – any amount from 1,000 to 10,000 at a time – which led to the start of ‘Operation Julie’, still the biggest UK drugs ‘bust’ ever, with 130 arrests and 214 years in sentences for the masterminds.
This book covers the adventures within the operation from Det Sgt Martyn Pritchard’s unique perspective, along with some of his further exploits along the way, including the launch of the Reading Music Festival; the expose of Howard ‘Mr Nice’ Marks; and the perils and rigours of living and working undercover in the 70s.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781912624058 |
| PRICE | $15.95 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Lee C, Reviewer
Busted is an interesting tale of one policeman's time on the Drugs Squad in the 1970s when things were so much different from today.
Working undercover some of the stories are funny, others are scary and you wouldn't have wanted to swap roles.
The co author is an reporter and his contribution helps with the historical setting.
Overall an interesting read
Sydney S, Reviewer
The author definitely knows how to draw the reader in right from the beginning! A fascinating true crime story that I, to be honest, had not even heard of before getting this book. A bit long and repetitive at times but definitely worth the read.
Valerie S, Reviewer
This is an older case/story that’s been dusted off and updated and brought back for our reading pleasure. Originally published under a slightly different title, it relates a big case involving undercover ‘hippy cop’ Martyn Pritchard and the largest UK drug case. Follow along with Martyn as he’s transferred into the drug squad (DS) and learns the ropes of being an undercover copper, learning how to set up drug cases, gain the trust of informants, and figure out their motives for giving information. Their reason can be very important, as you’ll learn in the book.
Tricks of the Trade-- the undercover cops would stop getting hair cuts and being freshly shaved, and dress in their casual clothes, usually jeans and shirts...the more rumpled and worn, the better. Usually with a touch of patchouli for scent. They stopped smoking store-bought cigarettes and learned to roll their own, because that’s the kind of environment they were going into.
They managed to get themselves into and out of many crazy situations while they worked undercover, but were proud of the work they did and the many cases that they were responsible for making, including the famous one in this book that was record-breaking. My thanks for the advance electronic copy that was provided by NetGalley, authors Eddie Laxton & Martyn Pritchard, and the publisher for my fair review.
Mirror Books
Pub: Sept. 5th, 2018
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