Undercover: Operation Julie - The Inside Story

By: Stephen Bentley

Narrated by: Greg Patmore

Forget Breaking Bad, this is the extraordinary story of the 1970s Welsh LSD ring that supplied the world, told by a cop in deepest cover on the case.

'Life undercover was one great adrenaline rush fuelled by copious amounts of alcohol, hash, weed and some cocaine. I was off the leash.'

In the mid-1970s, at the age of 29, Stephen Bentley, a fresh-faced detective, turned himself into Steve Jackson, a dope-smoking, hard-drinking hippie. His time spent undercover with a gang making and distributing LSD helped bring down two criminal networks - but the operation also led to deep personal aftershocks felt long after the case closed.

As we get up-close-and-personal with the people who were the operators of the drug supply chain that fueled 70s counter-culture, the story becomes laden with heavy drug-taking, blurred lines between cop, criminal and friend, and creeping doubts about who Steve really is. Taking us into the unlikely setting of the rural Welsh valleys and infiltrating the gang that was responsible for about 90% of the LSD production in the UK, Steve Bentley's insider account shows what it really takes to go undercover - to befriend, to betray and to bury your sense of self.

Now in development as an 8-part TV series.

©2016 Stephen Bentley (P)2018 Stephen Bentley

Critic reviews

'Undercover Operation Julie - The Inside Story, ' documents everyday life of undercover work as the author, Stephen Bentley, won the confidence of the gang members. Bentley tells in his book how he built a "perfect" relationship with Smiles, an important gang member. But this friendship almost undermined the whole operation.- BBC News England, October 2, 2016.

'The fascinating and extraordinary inside story from the man who was actually there.' - Rob Gittins, Screenwriter and Novelist, Writer of 'Julie' BBC Drama

Great true crime

I love a good true crime story and especially an undercover story. Stephen Bentley doe a wonderful job explain how the whole operation Julie undercover investigation took place. I became very invested in his cover character as well as his partner, It was exciting to hear about the inside workings of such a large drug bust. Being in the USA and not really knowing much about the UK police system I was concerned I wouldn't know some of the things discussed however the author did such a great job of setting the scene I didn't miss a beat. I really liked how the last section of the book goes on to explain what followed after the bust and then also where some of the major players where at the time of the writing. This was a fantastic book and I highly recommended giving it a try. I received this book for free for an honest review.

overwhelming

this book is very informative and interesting. I never knew all that went along with be involved in the police force in one way or another. I did know that there was some corruption and payoffs but not to the extent of what was described. thanks goes out to the author for his service and for the information he has shared.

WOW, RIVETING ACCOUNT OF UNDERCOVER LIFE

Whoa!
This was very intense, I was drawn into this world and feel like I just got hit by a semi truck after. What a ride, indeed.
Riveting account of 1978's Operation Julie, one of the biggest British undercover operations of our time. 15 different defendants were imprisoned for a total of nearly 125 years.

This is the story of Stephen Bentley, one of the undercover detectives who lived it. I have little to no knowledge of the ins and outs of police procedure - well, only from TV, and Joe Kenda made it a point to explain that it's soooo not like it is on TV/CSI ;)

It's a very candid, honest and powerful audiobook by a man I respect for his bravery and perseverance. Well written and well narrated, I definitely recommend it.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
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Intriguing

I received the audiobook free for an honest review.



I'm not sure what I expected from this memoir. The beginning started out dry, setting the stage for the bulk of the book, a true story about an undercover detective in Britain, helping take down the drug lords.



It starts out with him setting the stage of how he becomes a police officer, a bit of the atmosphere in Britain in the 1970s and how he got into the drug squad and from there to be an undercover officer; it also touches on the mental stress such a job puts on individuals.



This memoir shows in-depth, what goes on during a long term undercover operation and what the individuals put themselves and their families through during and after the undercover operation is finished. What interested me with this memoir was learning what the officers do and go through. I would have thought they would try and avoid actual drug use, for example. How would their fellow officers view them afterwards when they are fighting drug addiction? What about the women in today's forces who go undercover for their job; usually something to do with the sex trade industry. Do they have to completely immerse themselves in the role, like Steve and Erik did with the drugs? And what about the perception of the women afterwards? (especially in this day and age?). (These are my own questions, not ones raised or covered in the book).



Steve also talks about how there was no support system in the police force for the undercover officers afterwards. That would have definitely been useful, considering the fact that they were drinking a lot and taking drugs. Therapy, and rehabilitation should have been offered.



One thing that actually ended up interesting me, is his ideas about regulating drugs. A lot of what he suggests is quite logical. Considering the fact that Canada is legalizing marijuana he should send that regulation list to the Canadian government as they try to figure out how to deal with this legalization.



Overall, although filled in part with dry facts, I found this to be quite interesting and enjoyable.

Well-written non-fiction from a very good author

Undercover: Operation Julie - The Inside Story, my fourth read from author Stephen Bentley, and my first non-fiction by him. December seemed to be my month for new authors, January continued the trend, and now February. Surprisingly enjoyable read. Greg Patmore’s narration adds greatly to a good book's enjoyment, he became Stephen Bentley. “I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." I own 8 other books by this author and look forward to reading more from him. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

Hard times for an undercover agent!

Great inside look at how being an undercover agent can impact one person’s life. Thank you for their service. This book is definitely interesting.

Raw and unflinching

Undercover: Operation Julie - The Inside Story is a gritty, first-hand and factual account of how dangerous and stressful deep undercover work can be. (FWIW, the reality is nothing nearly as sensational or glamorous as Hollywood would have you think.) We follow Stephen Bentley and Eric Wright as they immerse themselves into vital roles in the largest LSD investigation and bust in the UK. We hear the police officer's side of it, for sure, but we also get the unflinching personal side. We see, up close and personally, into the consequences of deep undercover work, how the man behind the shield can be affected, both emotionally and physically, for up to decades after such an operation.

The raw feel of the entire book was absorbing, from the overarching story all the way down to the authenticity in the use of colloquialisms and slang for the area and the timeframe. If you like true crime or police-themed stories, you'll love this book.

Warning: If you are not from the UK, or are otherwise unfamiliar with the contrasting tales around Operation Julie, it's best to start the book at Chapter 3 (That's Chapter 5 for the Audible version). This is where the true tale actually begins, chronologically, and you can settle into the story as related by the author, Stephen Bentley. The chapters before this will at best confuse you, and perhaps frustrate you, as the refutations of other accounts of this operation would not be applicable.

Excellent personal memoir

This is a fascinating true recounting of an undercover drug operation as told by one of the undercover officers. It is personal, insightful, and thought provoking. The author really let's you into his mind and thoughts. He is a broken and flawed hero. My favorite parts of the book were listening to him puzzle out his thoughts and tear down other people's ideas. I also liked his honest antagonism.

The narrator did a great job!

Raw, Honest And Gripping

I've listened to Stephen's fictional title and enjoyed it very much but this, a real life tale, is even better. If you've ever wondered what it's really like to go undercover - then you need to check this out. The narration is very good and brings the whole thing to life. Stephen's story is unique and very much worth your time. Please note: I received a review copy of this material. That doesn't mean that influenced my opinion of the work. It didn't.

An Insider's View

I found Stephen Bentley's account of life as an undercover cop during Operation Julie to be chilling, riveting and informative. His account was honest and thought provoking. I recommend this book to others who like knowing the truth of actual events. Greg Patmore's narration is excellent; at some point during his narration, it seems like Greg is talking to the listener as if he is telling his life story and not just relating someone else's history through a manuscript. I was given a free copy of the audiobook and I have voluntarily left this review.