Retired Intelligence Detective Gary Jenkins brings you the best in mob history with his unique perception of the mafia. In this episode, Gary talks with Tom Jenkins, the author of “The Next Run”. Tom recounts his experiences as a significant pot smuggler in the 60s. He shares fun stories of his adventures in Mexico and beyond. He details how he got started in smuggling, the evolution of the drug trade, and his close relationships with his Mexican contacts, particularly Abelardo. Tom also discusses the challenges and risks involved in smuggling, including the use of unconventional methods like hidden compartments in cars, plane landings in the desert, and dealing with flimsy suitcases for transporting drugs. Tom reflects on the changing attitudes towards narcotics over the years, mentioning the surge in marijuana dispensaries and the shift in perception from a mysterious substance to a recreational drug. He critiques the impact of narcotics on society, pointing out the devastating consequences of addiction and the flawed approach to drug enforcement. Tom also highlights his views on rehabilitation effectiveness for addicts and his observations as a physician regarding drug use.Support the Podcast

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Transcript

[0:00]

Introduction

[0:00]Well, Hey, welcome all you guys out there. Glad to be back here in the studio of gang land wire.

And I have a particularly interesting story. I, you know, I guys,

you may, or you may not know what I get contacted by, uh, publicity companies

and book companies all the time when they have a book that they think might

be appropriate for the podcast.

And so I got this and I always get the book and sometimes I read it.

Sometimes I kind of glaze over and I’ll make notes out of it.

Well, I got one. not too long ago called The Next Run.

And those of you on YouTube, there it is.

And I started reading it. And next thing I know, I’m like halfway through it

and I haven’t put it down yet.

It is a page turner. And we are lucky enough to have the author here and the

man that lived this crazy, crazy life, Tom Jenkins. Welcome, Tom.

[0:51]Thank you so much. Happy to be here. Well, it’s an honor to beat you,

even though you were on the one side of the law and I was on the other all those years.

But it’s really cool to beat you.

And, you know, this whole marijuana thing, it’s it’s just gone crazy in the last few years.

As you’ve noticed, anybody that’s of any age or pays attention to anything in

the United States, there’s just there’s a daggone dispensary on every corner.

Practically of every place I’ve been in the United States. Maybe there’s some

states that don’t have it.

And so I don’t know. There’s probably no more guys like you.

There’s no more smugglers like you, are there, Tom?

[1:35]I doubt it. Well, unless you look to the cartels, I think anyone would be absolutely

crazy to try to get into this solo at this point.

It’s all the cartels.

Yeah, really. So what’s interesting, I think, is when you started,

it was back in the 60s, and those of us that are a certain age,

you know, we were in high school or just out of high school,

maybe post-war baby boomers is what we are.

Now we’re getting old, and pretty soon we’re going to finally die off and let

the younger people run everything, which will probably be good.

But, you know, there’s a lot of marijuana smoking, but there’s a lot of ditch weed.