The drug war in the UK and worldwide has been going on for a long time. It's not new to see news coverage on buy busts and undercover operations. It makes us more aware of the drug problem, but also lulls us into a false sense of security that things are improving. In reality, these drug busts pose more threats to our community safety.

In this episode, Neil Woods gives a sneak peek into the life of an undercover cop. He shares talks about the futility of the drug war and how it empowers organised crime. So many vulnerable individuals get caught in the crossfire between criminal organisations and the police. Fortunately, Neil shares that there is some change happening. He also details the concrete steps we must take to win this fight against drugs. 

Tune in to this episode to find out the truth about the drug war and what you can do to help end it! 

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

Discover the ugly truth behind drug policy and why it needs to change.

Learn about Neil’s experiences and realisations from working as an undercover cop.

Find out what you can do to aid the social movement against the drug war. 

Resources

• ⁠Noise App⁠
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• Connect with Neil:⁠ ⁠⁠website⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠
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• Grab a copy of Neil’s⁠ Drug Wars⁠ and⁠ Good Cop, Bad War⁠ now!
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• ⁠Why major drug busts don’t work: an undercover cop explains⁠

Episode Highlights

About the Young Neil Woods

• Neil grew up in the middle-class town of Buxton in the Peak District. He admits that he had a sheltered upbringing.
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• He went to university by mistake, thinking he would be interested in Business Studies. He dropped out shortly after.

• While backpacking around Europe, he saw an advertisement for the police in the local newspaper and flipped a coin. The result eventually set him on his career path.

• Wanting to do something different and adventurous every day brought him to policing.

His Early Years in the Police

• At the start, Neil found policing to be a shock. Being a 19-year-old, he was naive and had no experience with handling conflict. 

• He almost got kicked out during his probation and hated the first two years.

• But he wanted to prove to himself that he could get past two years, so he hung on by the skin of his teeth.

How Neil Started Working Undercover

• If you struggle in the police, your colleagues will perceive you as useless and unreliable. Neil experienced this as well.

• To get a fresh start, he moved to another station in Glossop. 

• During that time, in the early to mid-90s, the government pushed police forces to prioritise the drug war.