Claw of the Dragon

Michael S. Vigil

Description

An action packed thriller involving international drug trafficking and terrorism that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Mike Vigil rose from humble beginnings in the Northern New Mexico village of Española to lead America’s effort against treacherous international drug traffickers and cartel bosses. He is a legend in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and far beyond. From Mexico to Honduras, the Caribbean to Afghanistan, Vigil’s name is celebrated in far-flung regions of the world for his ability to bring disparate law enforcement and military entities together to take down some of the most dangerous criminals on the planet.

In a career spanning more than three decades, Vigil faced down death many times and was known for being “first through the door” on operations that led to thousands of arrests and seizures of tons of dangerous drugs and millions of narco dollars.

After his retirement from the DEA, Vigil embarked on a new career as an author and authority on the ever-evolving world of the increasingly violent drug cartels. His fast-paced novels have the clarion ring of authenticity, and for good reason: He’s been there and done that.

From foot soldier to field general, and now a successful author and top authority on the continuing campaign against drug trafficking in America and around the world, Mike Vigil’s life is a testament to the good that can be accomplished against formidable odds by one brave man.
Viva Mike Vigil.

John L. Smith

Author of Saints, Sinners, and Sovereign Citizens: The Endless War over the West’s Public Lands

Sujets

• Law Enforcement
• Thrillers
• Terrorism
• Investigations
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: iUniverse
• Date de parution: 09 août 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781663241870
• Langue: English

Extrait

CLAW OF THE DRAGON
 
 
 
MICHAEL S. VIGIL
 
 

 
 
CLAW OF THE DRAGON
 
 
Copyright © 2022 Michael S. Vigil.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
 
 
 
iUniverse
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www.iuniverse.com
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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6632-4188-7 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6632-4189-4 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6632-4187-0 (e)
 
 
 
 
 
iUniverse rev. date:  08/02/2022
CONTENTS
Forewords
Dedication
Chapter 1 The Raid
Chapter 2 The Intifada
Chapter 3 The Spector of Terrorism
Chapter 4 The Angels of Death
Chapter 5 The Jihadist Thunderclap
Chapter 6 Chaos and Uncertainty
Chapter 7 The Money Launderer
Chapter 8 Cryptocurrency
Chapter 9 The Assassination
Chapter 10 The Iranian Connection
Chapter 11 The Bomb
Chapter 12 Violent Retaliation
Chapter 13 The Unification
Chapter 14 The Plot
Chapter 15 The Terrorist Storm
Chapter 16 Extrajudicial Killings
About The Author
FOREWORDS
STATEMENT OF IGNACIO MORALES LECHUGA
FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MEXICO
The deadly work that has transcended and sowed the seed in the fight against drug trafficking throughout the hemisphere, which now bears fruit, are results the different countries have obtained thanks to the support the United States government has graciously provided. In particular, the complex multi-national operations and global intelligence platforms the DEA developed has to be credited to Michael S. Vigil, a true visionary and strategist.
I had the honor of participating in these efforts as the Attorney General of the Republic of Mexico and this allows me to affirm that the dangerous work carried out by Mike Vigil were very valuable in obtaining nothing less than spectacular results in the fight against the scourge of drug trafficking. I feel satisfied and honored our countries, the United States and Mexico, in 1991 and 1992, seized record figures of cocaine and apprehended more than 32,000 deadly criminals involved in transnational organized crime.
Mike Vigil was at the forefront of all these efforts. His courageous penetrations of the ruthless cartels, in an undercover capacity, gained him the reputation of a fearless warrior and a true living legend, not only in Mexico, but throughout the world. He truly needs to be emulated by others who will follow him.
STATEMENT OF GENERAL MUHAMMAD SALANGI
DEPUTY MINISTER OF INTERIOR-AFGHANISTAN
My country, Afghanistan, through many centuries, has known a number of great leaders, some of whom have actually invaded and attempted to conquer it. Leaders whose exploits are well documented in history along with their military tactics and strategies are still studied and analyzed by contemporary armies throughout the world. I refer to individuals like Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan who were completely fearless in battle and when preparing for war had the vision and experience to implement ingenious plans to ensure victory.
These extraordinary leaders have only existed every few centuries. One of them is Mike Vigil from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) who is known in many countries around the world as one of the greatest strategists of his time. He developed and executed some of the largest anti-drug operations in history, some involving as many as 36 countries. The sheer strength of his character convinced those countries who had reservations to eventually agree to participate in his expansive initiatives. He did what most politicians were never able to do, which was to get many nations to put aside long-standing differences and work together as a cohesive network.
Mike Vigil’s operational objectives were always multifaceted to ensure the maximum impact on the most violent transnational organized groups in the world. No matter how large the operations were, he planned them meticulously. For him, there was no room for error. Quite frankly, military and police generals on many continents were intimidated by his knowledge and abilities to successfully accomplish all of his undertakings. No one was more respected and it was obvious when he walked into a room, everyone listened to his every word and went out of their way to please him. Most individuals don’t understand that respect is not demanded, but earned on the field of battle.
Mike Vigil, like Alexander the Great, always led from the front and never from the rear. The true warrior moves valiantly into the heat of battle knowing he may die at any moment, but fear never enters his mind, only courage and determination. Mike Vigil is one of those men.
STATEMENT OF LARRY VILLALOBOS DEA SUPERVISOR-INTELLIGENCE
If one believes you can have a bigger life than most people ever dreamed of through three life times, you might be called a dreamer, a fantasy experiment or someone that might not be balanced or of solid ‘foot planting’ in life…but what if that life and experience did indeed occur? In that case you are fortunate to read the stories based on real life twists and turns that ordinary people simply learn or read about. Today, right here, you can inject yourself into a world of violence and intrigue that reflect a man’s mind who was there. Mike Vigil actually lived these adventures through a career of globe-trotting through an element of life that while not pretty and safe, has existed, exists and unfortunately will always exist.
Mike Vigil entered a world and profession that was becoming an advanced measure of tactics, techniques and procedures, which required intellectual and mental acrobatics to ensure a successful result through partnerships, investigations and undercover operations that would become the expertise and foundation of these stories. Mike Vigil entered the world of global crime fighter as a young, dynamic, strong, powerful and innovative in-your-face bigger than life Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent from the very tranquil and beautiful Northern New Mexico Valley along the Rio Grande.
Read the stories in his many books carefully and as the reader, place yourself as only Mike Vigil can take you into the minds and physical locations of a complex world through the events he presents. Learn and believe that although it is a novel, understand that events portrayed have a place in history of events that actually occurred. Feel what you are reading is something that is today’s world and what Mike Vigil is presenting is the confluence of drugs and terror…and if for one minute you might believe that drugs and drug investigations have no link to global terror then understand that over half of all terrorist organizations designated by the U.S. Government are now involved in one or more aspects of the drug trade and precisely Mike Vigil’s expertise. Mike Vigil has given to us a novel that depicts hybrid terror and through his experience we learn history that was ongoing when he was that young boy playing sports in Northern New Mexico and waiting to become a hybrid international crime fighter.
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to the loving memory of my parents, Sam and Alice, whose sacrifice, support and love made me the person I am today.
It is also dedicated to my sisters, Anita and Mona.
To my niece, Ursula, who is my bright shining star.
To Nicole who is in heaven with my parents.
To my stepdaughter, Lisa and my grandchildren, Luke Edward and Sarah Claire.
To my wife, Suzanne, for the stunning book cover.
To my friends, Alvan Romero and Lillie Montoya, for their assistance in editing this book.
To my friend, Gordon Eden, former Albuquerque Police Chief, for inspiring this novel.
CHAPTER 1

THE RAID
Miguel Villa had just arrived at his new assignment in Medellin, the capital of the mountainous province of Antioquia, Colombia, better known as the “Murder City” of the world. Drug cartels, terrorist networks, and paramilitaries fought each other because of conflicting ideologies, but much more so, for control of the multi-billion dollar cocaine trade. Villa had most recently served for a number of years in Mexico and was now in a seriously much more dangerous environment. He was a Special Agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration, which was best known by its acronym, DEA. He was tall, broad shouldered, with dark hair and hazel eyes. Sporting a thick mustache, many people would comment he resembled the actor, Tom Selleck.
Unlike many other agents, he thrived operating in high-risk areas. He was addicted to the adrenaline rush and was extraordinarily fearless. Villa grew up in Espanola, New Mexico, an extremely poor village in the northern part of the state. Despite the suffocating poverty, the area was rich in culture, history, and hardworking people. After graduating from Espanola High School, he fought major forest fires throughout the Southwestern United States in the summer months to help pay for his college tuition. Villa earn