undercover is a job we can only understand through film and television works.
These people lurk alone in hostile organizations to collect intelligence. They are bold, smart, thoughtful, and very charming.
(picture from the movie "Infernal Affairs")
and In reality, the life of undercover agents is even more exciting than what is depicted in film and television works. It can really be said to be dancing on a tightrope.
Jay Dobyns, 62, is such a retired old undercover agent. Now, he shares his undercover experience.
(Jay Dobbins)
Jay recalled that he never thought about being an undercover police officer when he was young. At that time, he participated in the school's football team and did very well. But reality dealt him a blow. He was unable to continue his rugby career and had to find another life.
Jay was confused, he didn't know what he wanted to do, until one day, he saw the American TV series "Miami Vice" - police and detectives investigated crime scenes, and undercovers and plainclothes went around to investigate.
Jay was deeply attracted by the life in the drama, and he also wanted to be an undercover agent.
("Miami Vice" poster)
Eventually Jay joined the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the most powerful undercover unit in federal law enforcement.
From then on, Jay's undercover career began...
(Comparison of Jay before and after being undercover)
Jay said that the bureau will not let newcomers do long-term deep undercover work at the beginning. They have to accumulate experience.
They will be assigned to work as short-term undercover agents in various small organizations that are not too dangerous. Even if they make mistakes and are discovered, as long as they survive, they can make progress.
Just like that, Jay has been "trained" in different organizations for 15 years. He has sold guns, drugs and explosives, joined a theft group, and participated in a killer organization. He is ready for everything.
Then he finally waited for a real challenge.
He is going to the famous "Hells Angels" undercover...
(Hells Angels uniform)
The Hells Angels claim to be a "motorcycle club", but many police and national intelligence agencies classify it as an "illegal organization" , these people can be said to do all kinds of evil.
Illegal gun possession, drug trafficking, arms smuggling, armed robbery, money laundering, extortion, blackmail, and murder are also the source of many pornographic industries.
Two things happened during that time, which strengthened the police's determination to undercover this organization.
The first was the murder of Cynthia Garcia.
She was beaten nearly to death by several members of the Hells Angels. Then they stuffed her into the trunk of a car and took her to a desert, slit her throat and tried to cut off her head...
( The murderer was arrested afterwards)
Another incident was that there was a fight between the Hells Angels and a Mongolian gang over a casino, and the two gangs started a bloody conflict on the street with guns.
(the picture captured by the camera at that time)
After the two incidents happened, the police decided to investigate this group of extrajudicial gangsters. At that time, a police officer in charge of the case found Jay and asked him how to infiltrate the organization.
Because Jay was one of the most powerful undercover agents in the police at the time, this task fell on him.
Jay said that, to be fair, he wasn't the best person for the job because the Hells Angels were a gang masquerading as a motorcycle club and he wasn't very good at riding a motorcycle.
However, as an undercover ace, Jay still found a way to join them - He went to "apprentice"...
Jay found the Hells Angels and said that he was an arms smuggler and debt collector. He couldn't ride a motorcycle, but for Their organization is very interested.
Later, while the Hells Angels were teaching him how to ride, he found a way to infiltrate the organization.
(Jay)
Jay said joining the Hells Angels was a very slow and difficult process.
because this group of people are very cautious, which is why they have not been arrested for a long time .
This group of people will regard every newcomer as a "perpetrator" and a "victim" at the same time. While they are wary of him betraying them, they will also find ways to use and bully him.
Jay devoted himself to his work,
He convinced the Hells Angels that he was not a threat, but he was not a white rabbit to be slaughtered.
He spent a lot of time and finally established a firm foothold in the organization, won the trust of others, and collected a lot of information that outsiders could not know.
(Jay)
But working undercover is not always easy.
Once, Jay's identity was suspected, so he was taken to a club, where the murder of Cynthia Garcia occurred.
They blocked the doors and windows, punched and kicked Jay. They put a gun to Jay's head and kept slicing Jay's throat with a knife.
While exerting mental pressure, he explored Jay's past from various angles. As long as he said the wrong thing, Jay would be killed on the spot...
(Jay)
After all, Jay is a veteran, always biting him and Regardless of the "arms smugglers and debt collectors" story made up by my colleagues, these people had no substantial evidence in the end. Fortunately, they didn't go crazy and kill people at will, so they just dealt with it.
Finally in 2003, Jay's undercover work ended.
36 members of the Hells Angels were arrested, and the entire organization suffered a heavy blow. But at this time, Jay's identity was exposed...
From then on, Jay and his family began to receive frequent threats, and his family was also angered. gang members burned to ashes.
Jay also lamented that this group of people are really good at intimidating others. If there is a degree in violence and intimidation, this group of people would at least have a doctorate...
"These guys don't talk, they won't forgive, and they won't forget. "
(Jay during the undercover period)
Now more than 20 years have passed, Jay has long retired, but he still lives a cautious life.
But more troubling, Jay says, his life has been changed:
"I feel like TV and movies tend to glorify gang life and make it look sexy.
But the reality is, it's not glamorous or sexy. , it's a dirty, bloody, vomit-covered scab, but the thing is, I loved it when I was living this life...
I know I infiltrated the Hells Angels, can be compared to At the same time, they infiltrated me.
During my time undercover, I had to live and commit crimes with the Hells Angels, and it was impossible not to change.
It changed me. dna.”
(Jay in Undercover)
While working undercover, Jay secretly got married and had two children.
When asked about the impact of being undercover on his family life, Jay responded:
"That's a hard question to answer, but I'll answer it honestly.
I put my career and my undercover assignments ahead of my wife and kids Above, has caused great harm to my family, and I feel very guilty and regretful about this.
During the undercover period, you have to be online 24 hours a day, and there is no time to rest and meet with your family.
At that time, I could only tell. I said to myself, I was changing the world and making it a safer place, but at the same time, I was hurting my family."
Jay said his family knew he was working undercover and knew he was involved. He has dealt with various cases, but he will not share the details of his work in detail, because it will only increase the anxiety of his family, , and will not do any good.
Now that Jay has been freed from work, it is time to make up for his family...
(Jay and his wife)
How to say, from Jay's description, it can be seen that undercover is not like in movies and TV works. With their handsome work, these people endured a lot of loneliness, pain and danger that ordinary people could not bear.
But because of the existence of these people, the life of every ordinary person has become safer. Although they are not visible, they are also real heroes...
