Most of the time, drug wars happen in the shadows, in underworld deaths and disappearances. But when journalists and lawyers start getting gunned down on the streets of Amsterdam, and burning cars are crashed into newspaper offices — well, you’ve got all the makings of a European narco state. This week on Whale Hunting, host Bradley Hope sits down with Mitch Prothero to discuss the sentencing of the merciless kingpin at the heart of the chaos: Ridouan Taghi. A reporter and host of the podcast Gateway: Cocaine, Murder and Dirty Money in Europe, Mitch has spent years following the explosion of European cocaine markets, giving him a front row seat Taghi’s rise. Together, Bradley and Mitch dig into the details of this story, from the King of Morocco’s role in Taghi’s capture to his mega-trial in ‘ze Bunker’ — and why shows like Narcos no longer capture the reality of modern cocaine trafficking.

To discover Ridouan Taghi's story from the very beginning, search for Gateway: Cocaine, Murder and Dirty Money in Europe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more from Whale Hunting, make sure to follow the podcast – and you can subscribe to our newsletter at whalehunting.projectbrazen.com. 

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