I love narco books (one of those weird fascinations some of us get, my other favorite being cults), both fiction and nonfiction, so I was excited to get this ARC. This is a lengthy history of narcotic trafficking. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Who would have thought that you can't trust a spy agency? Oh, everyone knew that already? Well, Patrick Winn's Narcotopia is a wonderful example of how doing the "right" thing can be extremely objective.

Narcotopia tells the story of how a section of Burma became a massive and lasting narco-state while battling the CIA and the DEA. Well, the CIA and DEA were there, but the biggest dangers came from the various groups within Burma. Everyone wanted a piece of the pie or they wanted to destroy the pie.

I had very little background on this subject before I started the book. I also find that books with massive scope can often devolve into becoming a list of names too large for anyone to remember. I am happy to report Winn does not fall into this trap. While this is a wide ranging narrative, most of the action is focused around a man named Saw Lu, who at the very least, is one of the most stubborn men to ever exist. I won't say more, but trust me, this guy did not know the definition of quit.

You get to learn all about the various groups in Burma and Winn does a great job world building without overwhelming the reader. He also explains the rivalry between the CIA and DEA in the War on Drugs. I should mention that Winn comes off rather strong about what criticisms he will level against these organizations in his introduction. I did worry this would become a long diatribe against American policy and turn this from history to sociology. Winn, once again, uses a deft touch and his criticisms are valid and backed by solid reasoning even if you may not agree. The CIA certainly takes the brunt of it, which was fine with me as the son of a DEA agent. This story contains a lot of gray area and Winn never loses sight of that. It's a must read.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and PublicAffairs.)

A comprehensive dive into the modern history of Wa- its evolution from headhunter clans to Southeast Asia's largest drug cartel producing 60% of global heroin, the major political players and warlords who fought for its status as an unofficial sovereign state, and its extensive, complicated, entanglement with global superpowers US and China. The Wa people have survived communism flooding over their borders and America's war on drugs, but have also received critical support from these same aggressors.
This book taught me a lot about a relatively unknown group of people who, through drugs, have influenced the world from the shadow of Burma's eastern mountains.

It is not often that you stumble upon a story that is so big, so important, and yet you have never heard of it before. And a story so well told!

I've read a lot of books about drug trafficking, and quite a few about Burma, but I had no idea about Wa State, a mysterious narco-land hidden in the mountains that is the subject of this fascinating volume. And as the author points out, in 1990 it supplied 60 percent of America's heroin needs, while a much better-known area on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan supplied only 30 percent. So in terms of new knowledge alone, this book was illuminating. But that is only one of its qualities.

The story of how it all happened is written like a thriller and absolutely worth another Netflix "Narcos" series: there are headhunters and sorcerers, warlords and mercenaries, proxy wars fought by global empires, infighting between different branches of the U.S. government, covert CIA missions, and so many larger-than-life characters. But there is more. Patrick Winn doesn't take anything at face value, he digs deeper and uncovers an even more interesting story, the story of a forgotten and maligned nation fighting for a right to exist.

As he writes, “Wa people are indigenous to China’s frontier, just like Tibetans and Uyghurs, minorities who’ve suffered deeply under a Chinese government that micromanages their every move. The Wa have faced the same threat. So why is there a “Free Tibet” movement but none to free the Wa? Because they freed themselves. Yet, through Western eyes, they did it the wrong way: by producing illegal drugs, spending the profits on weapons, and daring outsiders to come take their land.”

Winn, an American who has lived in Southeast Asia for many years, paints a harsh portrait of U.S. international involvement. He shows how well-meaning people have been prevented from making a difference by the politics of the moment. He describes feuds between the DEA and the CIA that led local traffickers ”viewing the Americans as a confounding people, so warlike they’d fly across the world just to tussle with their own kind”.

It is also a prime example of excellent investigative journalism - the author managed to talk directly to most of the key players and get access to many classified documents, revealing covert actions and strategies. At the same time, he manages to keep his narrative engaging and witty. It is truly a rare achievement, comparable to books by such great writers as Patrick Radeen Keefe.

You have to read this book!

Thanks to the publisher, PublicAffairs, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher PublicAffairs for an advance copy of this book that looks at the rise of a nation based on producing narcotics, the world's largest drug kingpin, and the man who was their from the beginning and worked to make his nation a better place, and the American involvement that ruined these chances.

The War on Drugs has been a war on truth as much as war on pharmaceutical. Disinformation from marijuana, psychedelics, addiction, and even the people who profit from it. Billions have been spent on propaganda, military equipment, DARE programs, paying people not to grow things, and letting that which is grown to help others. Lives have been ruined or lost, countries held back, people imprisoned, and criminals made leaders and given stipends by our government for their great work. America has also had a problem being a world leader. One one hand we export Elvis, Jesus and Coke-Cola, and act as the world's police force. On the other hand our government has been involved with the worse of the worst, propping up dictators and warlords in the interest of the greater good, ie America. Interagency battles between CIA, DEA and FBI have probably led to more casualties and job loss than any battles with cartels. And yet we still roll on, as states legalize certain drugs, and doctors begin to prescribe psychedelics for depression, or PTSD for soldiers trapped in America's forever wars. Narcotopia: In Search of the Asian Drug Cartel That Survived the CIA by journalist and expert on the narcotics trade in Asia, Patrick Winn has written a book about a small nation state that has become the highest producer of methamphetamines in the world, the warlord that controls the trade, and a brave man, who tried to help his people, and was failed by everyone around him.

The book is a profile of the Wa State, a autonomous state in Burma that borders China, under the control of the Wa people. Known as fierce headhunters at on time, and huge opium producers, the Wa are mostly subjugated by their miliary leaders, who use the area to produce meth, which they send out throughout Asia. The world's most successful drug kingpin lives in a giant mansion/compound Wei Xuegang. Fiercely private, a germaphobe who cooks his own meals in fear of poisoning, Wei Xuegang is probably the most successful drug lord in history. In an attempt to find out more about the nation of Wa, Winn had a case of serendipity. Winn's translator happened to be the son-in-law of an important man in Wa's history, who helped form the nation state, though was not a fan of the drug culture. Saw Lu was a Christian convert, who had spent time among the Wa, as a teacher, a military leader, and finally a high-ranking official, with dreams of making life better for his people. So much so he became a confidential informant for the DEA, sharing information, plans and gossip from inside Wa. But gaining many enemies, some of which Saw Lu could never have seen coming.

Both a history of the Golden Triangle area, the rise and fall of opium production, the conversion offer to meth and the high profits, and profiles of both drug kingpin and a man who wanted to help change his people for the better. Winn tells a very good story, starting in the 50's with CIA involvement in the area, to Saw Lu's work among the Wa, various revolutions, and changes in American policy in the area. Saw Lu is a fascinating man, one who went through incredible hardship and torture trying to help his people, and Winn is fair in portraying him. The history is what is really amazing, and how America on one hand tried to make things better, on the other, made things much worse. Winn has done a very good job in telling this story, and keeping the narrative clear and informative.

One of my favorite nonfiction books this year. There is a lot here, and lots to take in. Winn really does capture the people and the times well, and makes for a fascinating history. History readers will enjoy this, true crime fans will also. However this is much more than a drug story, it really is about a man who tried to make a difference, even after everything went horribly wrong.

This is the best nonfiction book I've read in a long time. It perfectly fills that niche of being about a group of people I've never heard of but who impact American lives. Fascinating characters, tons of amazing research, and information that is nearly impossible to get outside of this book.

I was very surprised at the amount of drug trafficking coming out of the Asian area. I had just assumed that the majority was from Central/South America. This is an eye-opening book. Easy to read, somewhat difficult to follow with all the different names, and a good flow. I think that I learned a lot.

Every book or article I've ever read only mentions the Mexican cartels and completely fails to mention the Asian side of things that this book brings to light. Important read if you are interested in this type of non fiction.