Haji Bashir Noorzai is a former Afghan drug lord. Many called him a “heroin kin
Haji Bashir Noorzai is a former Afghan drug lord.
Many called him a “heroin kingpin” and he helped the Taliban make a lot of money.
Because his drug running was helping the Taliban’s war chest stay full of cash, he was put on the United States kill-or-capture list.
He was hunted by both special forces and the DEA for years.
Eventually, he was caught by the DEA during a sting operation in New York.
But guess what happened to Haji Bashir Noorzai?
He didn’t spend the rest of his life locked in a dark prison cell like he should have.
Instead, he’s now a free man.
How?
Well, Biden did a prisoner swap for him.
An American named Mark Frerichs was kidnapped by the Taliban in 2020.
Obviously, the US wanted Mark back home and the Taliban only agreed to free him if the United States freed Haji Bashir Noorzai.
And so, it was done and Noorzai is no longer in jail and is peddling drugs that fund terrorists.
Clearly, I’m all about bringing American citizens back home…
But the United States far too often makes lopsided trades that are not in our favor.
We’ve put a target on our back that says…
“If you kidnap Americans, it’s a great way to get some of the world’s most wanted criminals released from US prisons.”
This is especially incentivizing for all the Mexican drug cartels, so be careful if you ever travel to Mexico. (I never do.)
Hopefully, you aren’t traveling to dangerous areas of the world where kidnapping is likely…
But, no matter where you travel, please do the following…
-Wear plain and boring clothing. (No logos that scream out “I’m an American.”)
-Never have on any fancy jewelry or watches.
-Keep plenty of cash on you (both US dollars and the currency of the country you’re in, so you can bribe your way out of trouble.)
-Know where the closest US Embassy is and write down directions so you know exactly how to get there.
-Don’t stay on the first floor of a hotel and don’t stay too high either. Try to stay between floors 3-6.
-Never use a “ghost cab.” Have the hotel you are staying at recommend and help you with transportation.
-Always have the following weapons on you…
---small tactical flashlight
---tactical pen
---a knife (This mystery knife is an outstanding option and it disappears tomorrow)
You can’t take a gun overseas as a regular citizen, so definitely have the items above.
Please be careful if and when you travel overseas even if you think you are going to the world’s safest place.
Criminals know that Americans are great bargaining chips, so you need to be aware and vigilant at all times.
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
Former CIA Officer
Editor, Spy & Survival Briefing
Editor, Black Bag Confidenti