Drugs, Guns & Lies: My life as an undercover cop

by Keith Banks, Ben Smith

A story from the inside when Queensland had the most corrupt police force in the country. This is what it's really like to be an undercover police officer.'Banks has told his story in a raw and honest autobiography. It is the best true crime book published in Australia in a decade.' -John Silvester, Crime Reporter for The Age Undercover was like guerrilla warfare; to understand your enemy, you had to walk amongst them, to become them. The trick was to keep an eye on that important line between who you were and who you were pretending to be.This is the true story of Keith Banks, one of Queensland's most decorated police officers, and his journey into the world of drugs as an undercover operative in the 1980s. In an era of corruption, often alone and with no backup, he and other undercover cops quickly learned to blend into the drug scene, smoking dope and drinking with targets, buying drugs and then having dealers arrested. Very quickly, the lines between his identity as a police officer and the life he pretended to be part of became blurred. This is a raw and confronting story of undercover cops who all became casualties of that era, some more than others, when not everyone with a badge could be trusted.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Crime, Biography, Memoir, Autobiography, Audiobook

295 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 2, 2020

Reviews

[Ian Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

DRUGS GUNS AND LIES by Keith Banks (with Ben Smith)
It’s been such a long time since I’ve read a page-turner I’d almost forgotten how good it is.
This is not a fairy tale novel about romance, this is life-in-the-raw in Queensland under the most corrupt right wing government ever seen in Australia, that of Joh Bjelke Petersen. How it affected the police force and their relationship with society in general is both sad and appalling at the same time. Our author was right in the thick of it and, while the majority of the force were rightly in disagreement with what was happening, to express that view was to ruin any possibility of a career going upwards.
The author, in common with other recruits, was exposed to different aspects of policing, but ultimately opted for the adrenalin rush of going under cover. Here a whole new world emerged as he went from being a teetotaller to drinker and drug user, all in the line of duty initially though his later preference for marijuana is acknowledged.
The book doesn’t dwell anywhere too long and cuts to the chase in an eye-opening account of the real world of criminality and the Queensland Police Force, sometimes one in the same. The risks, particularly when he joined the drug squad, were extreme. He could no longer interact with normal police, had false numberplates, new name and mainly worked alone until the case was due for closure. Despite its seeming drawbacks, Keith loved the excitement and uncertainty involved in undercover work. It was life on a razor’s edge where you couldn’t have a steady relationship with the opposite sex due to long absences or compromises.
That it affected him (and all others who get involved) is a given and the mental scars never quite heal fully. Though he spent 20 years in the force and was highly decorated, this book deals almost exclusively with his time undercover, most telling of all his near miss with an escaped psychopathic killer who he never suspected.
Tips from other police on how to act, literally, proved invaluable as he slowly went deeper into the drug scene in towns and cities all around Queensland.
His reassessment of people in general also comes to the fore. No longer were all cops good and all criminals bad. Keith found that the lines were blurred and some police were just as bad as a few of the worst criminals and some drug users were more victims than bad people.
The chapters are short and to the point; there’s no excess verbiage here, just Keith recalling significant cases and incidents that shaped his life.
I found it interesting that the book was produced with the help of a state government. Not Queensland, but South Australia.
A ripping yarn that I consumed in about two days, enough said.

[Jenny (Bookbookowl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Allen & Unwin for providing me with a copy of Drugs, Guns and Lies, in exchange for an honest review!



Drugs, Guns and Lies follows undercover police officer, Keith, from growing up in a less than ideal home life, to deciding to become a policeman, to the academy, the beat and deciding to try the world of undercover. Raw and unflinching, Keith pulls us in to his life where he had to walk the line between criminal and law enforcer.  

I enjoyed Keith's story as a whole, there were some eye opening moments and it was like being told a life story by a friend.  The only issue I really had was that it was like being told a story by a friend - a friend who assumes you know the people he is talking about.  There were several moments where names were thrown about with no explanation as to who those people actually were.  I felt like I needed a background in 70's Queensland well known underworld figures and I didn't have that.  I can imagine readers from that era, and familiar with the names, would experience those moments of recognition, but for me, I just ended up thinking "Who?"  Other than that, the story was really engaging though.  I enjoyed the walk through Keith's life and I'm sure anyone interested in the life of an undercover cop will devour this one!

[Rachelle Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best autobiography/crime book I can recall reading and I did it in less than 24 hours. Brutal, raw, honest and intimate. The trauma experienced by UC operatives at the hands of QPS was appalling. Keith was able to tell his story and make you feel the constant push pull of like and hate for both the crooks and cops he worked with. I have read many of the cop/lawyer autobiographies over the years, this is the best of them. I’m looking forward to his podcast .......?

[Kt · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

In 1975, then teenager Keith Banks joined the Queensland Police Service (QPS). To say that he was wet behind the ears would be the understatement of the century. He may have had a transient upbringing with a violent step father, but he knew little about life on the mean streets of Brisbane or the workings of QPS.

But this bright eyed country boy soon realised that he had a knack for policing and a good gut instinct, and it wasn’t long until he was delving deep into the world of drugs as a QPS undercover operative. In an era where lines blurred easily and corruption was rife, Banks’ life was nothing like what Hollywood portrays about undercover operatives, but a constant struggle to keep his identity secret and his life intact.

Keith Bank’s Drugs, Guns & Lies, My Life as an Undercover Agent is an absolutely ripping read that will leave your eyes bulging and your jaw on the floor as your head does it’s best to wrap itself around the contents of this must read memoir. It’s a bold, powerful, raw and eye opening narrative of a man who sacrificed a lot only for a large group of people to want him dead or suffering for no other reason than he chose to take an oath to serve and protect.

I’ve read a few memoirs of undercover operatives, but what I particularly liked about this one was the psychological side of things. Banks finally balances the thrills and highs against the mental toll the job took on him and others. He doesn’t sugarcoat a thing and details the effects of the job against the ignorance and lack of support from QPS. These insights gave his memoir a little something extra and made it easier to visualise the text as I read it.

I also appreciated the honesty and grit that was Bank’s writing style. He comes across as genuine and that doesn’t always happen in similar memoirs.

Drugs, Guns and Lies was an enthralling read and I’m now excited for its sequel, which was released on 20/07/21. It has something for everyone and even if you’re not a huge non-fiction reader, I think you’ll be hard pressed not to be engaged by it. Best enjoyed with a good feed (yay to Nick’s homemade burgers), it’s a five star highly recommended read.

To play along with my book bingo and to see what else I’m reading, go to #ktbookbingo and @kt_elder on Instagram.

[John Stevenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look into the Qld POLICE of the 1980s.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an eye-opener!! The true story of QLD Police Officer Keith Banks in the late 1970’s/1980’s. The book follows his journey growing up, joining the police force and becoming an undercover drug operative.

Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen was the Premier and Terry Lewis was Police Commissioner. This book covers Keith Banks time as an officer just before the Fitzgerald Inquiry into corruption in the QLD Police force.

This was such an interesting book to read as a QLD’er around the time when I was born and growing up.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. I enjoyed this memoir about life as an undercover cop in Queensland in the 1980s. Keith's recollections come across as genuine and are told with humour, a good dose of reflection and honesty. Police officers, and other emergency services, do see a different side to life, and undercover police live these different lives. Highly recommend.

[Annie Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is/was a beautifully articulated account of a world I have never even imagined, the danger and fear UC officers are faced with on a regular basis is harrowing and under appreciated. The spot light was shone perfectly in this story of the career of Keith Banks and I am honoured to have been able to read it.

I wanted more, the architecture story telling drew me in for the most entertaining ride, bumps and all.

Well done, Keith and Ben Smith.

[ao_always_reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keith Banks takes you on a trip down memory lane, that probably very few of us will ever experience. Coming onto the Queensland Police Force in an era that was not as straight as it should have been and being undercover with drug runners and the like, would have been tough. Even tougher for a country boy with very little "life experience" and being, at times, hung out to dry, or constantly looking over your shoulder, because it's not always the bad guys out to get you.

I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed learning about an era and occupation that isn't for everyone. I felt sad at some of the stories (the story of Shane) and angry at times (police corruption, this was not a shining time for Queensland), but mostly I was awed by the double-life aspect and troubles, struggle and danger of the job.

This is well worth a read.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read about the life of an undercover cop and the challenges they face in walking the line between gaining the trust of a criminal by doing criminal acts and being a police officer sworn to uphold the law.

I was shocked and horrified by how little training and support there was for such young men being put in situations well beyond their understanding and experience.

I would have liked to have learnt about how he dealt with life after leaving the police.

[Travis Berketa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic insight into the world of undercover police. It just goes to show, we really don't know what's going on in the world around us. Keith Banks and his fellow dedicated police officers are the unsung heroes of the police force; placing themselves in dangerous situations to help stop crime, in a time when policing had its fair share of dirty cops.

A great autobiographical account and I believe it's something that we need to know and understand.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book by a guy who lived the police undercover life in the early 1980s Queensland, pre-Fitzgerald enquiry, swimming with sharks on both sides of the law. Hard work, done well with a small group of like minded, tough guys with morals enough to work down in the murk for overall good. Reads like fiction, but you can tell it is true. Good on you Keith.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very engrossing, and generally well-written, if a little repetitive when summing up his experiences. I would like to read part 2 - what happened after the left the police and how he came to terms with and treated his PTSD.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read, lots of information shared about the life and times I’ve lived in Brisbane. Feel off a bit towards the end, and please, no sequel.

Wayne Bennett coached police cadet teams, who knew?

[Shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting portrait of a police officer stationed for much of his career in Brisbane, the city where I live. Keith and his shadow writer managed to weave a solid tale detailing some of his experiences working undercover operations in the local area and I enjoyed his observations of the political climate of the 80's.

I enjoyed the insight into undercover life and I appreciated the candid approach Keith took. His thoughts and memories felt genuine and the story flowed well from his formative years all the way through to his eventual retirement. I could have done with less content from his early life as realistically I was drawn in by the promise of dramatic police stings, but I can understand the drive to round out a memoir like this. Thankfully there was minimal navel gazing and most of the book moved forward at a good pace - even with some humour dotted throughout as light relief.

I was surprised by the detailed explanations of drug terminology, for example the long passage describing what "going on the nod" meant. I can only assume being a savvy consumer of various tv shows, movies and books that freely discuss these topics, I must not be the intended audience for a book like this. I found myself laughing at these earnest passages and ultimately chalked them up to the author coming from a very different era to me, and from a decidedly different background.

Overall I enjoyed this one and would recommend it to Queensland locals in particular. After consuming a plethora of media focused on the American police force it was refreshing to see the focus land on a local unsung hero who earned his stripes during some of the most dramatic political backdrops our state has ever seen.

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't buy this book. We have this fool portraying hardship and suffering from PTSD - because he had to befriend local pot smokers and being around 'these junkies' (although he smoked pot himself) was hard on him. The book was also 'developed with the support of the Government of South Australia' so no doubt some political spin in there too. I found myself hating Keith. He's a hypocrite, but part of the brainwashed system against drugs, when we know from critical research the key benefits of marijuana, psilocybin's and MDMA that they service a critical purpose in helping lives better. Maybe instead of wallowing in his self pity she should spare a thought for the couple he talks about being friends with and persuaded to sell him pot, then had them nicked (they also had a newborn baby) or the many other people he had sent to prison for weed. Yes, there are other parts of the book talking about heroin, and I'm the first to state that those are genuine criminals and the repercussions of those drugs have ruined many lives, but Keith is trying to jump in and make some money whilst bleating on about his boring story.

One thing he was clear about though, was how the government were utilising the police force for their own agenda instead of the police serving the public's needs - sounds very familiar after what we've seen with Covid and how the police quickly let down the public and ran the government narrative, and has now lead to police shortages as many resigned rather than having a trial vaccination.

If you really need to read this, then find a pirate copy, but please don't spend money which will go to this jerk.

[Gisela · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent "true crime" read, discovered by accident in hearing the author in a radio interview one day. Highly readable and fascinating even to someone like me who is not really a crime fiction (or non-fiction) fan, this book is also interesting at a socio-political level in its coverage of drug-related crime and corruption in the police force and in the Queensland government at the time.

As I totally agree with @Ian Smith's GR review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) I'll just say "what he said!".

And .... since GR has not included the book synopsis from the back cover, I'm going to cite that here:

"This is the true story of Keith Banks, one of Queensland’s most decorated police officers, and his journey into the world of drugs as an undercover operative in the 1980s. In an era of corruption, often alone and with no backup, he and other undercover cops quickly learned to blend into the drug scene, smoking dope and drinking with targets, buying drugs and then having dealers arrested. Very quickly, the lines between his identity as a police officer and the life he pretended to be part of became blurred.
This is a raw and confronting story of undercover cops who all became casualties of that era, some more than others, when not everyone with a badge could be trusted."

[Peter Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Undercover police work is usually portrayed as glamourize, noble and exciting (OK, Bonnie Brasco is an exception in depiction and one case of which people may be familiar). This is one man’s firsthand experience of life in the Queensland Police Service in the 1980’s, including a stint within and in controlling those engaged in undercover police work. It presents an insight into the realities of doing the role at the time and the implications and legacies that those engaged in the work encounter after the work is done. Living a lie, betrayal, PTSD.

Reading this I found myself hoping that in the time since then more has been learnt, those engaged are better trained, looked after and that the corruption that was rooted out of the Queensland Force during that time has not re-festered and grown again. At the same time, I know that the PTSD that is carried by many in the work will very likely not have improved and will be with them until this day, and for that I feel sorrow, concern and a degree of anger as to how they were treated.

Engaging and appears as an open and honest insight into a world seen and experienced by few on the thin blue line.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

** 4 stars**
This was a well written and insightful read!

I read the sequel of this book before this one, as it came up as a recommendation on Audible. It was so good that I had to go back and read the first. I wish I had have read this book first as do much more would have made sense!

This book was great! It went into so much detail about undercover policing in Queensland in the 80s. It seemed like such a crazy time! The situations that Keith found himself in were incredible. The early days of undercover were like the Wild West!

I particularly enjoyed how Keith's attitude towards drugs and non-violent criminals seemed to change as he spent more and more time with criminals. I really enjoyed reading about how Keith's values began to change.

Highly recommended!

[Merryn Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reader is given a very personal insight into the life of undercover policing in this riveting book by Keith Banks. Keith writes about his early formative years as a boy seeking security, routine and adrenaline, ultimately leading him to undercover work. What makes this book so enjoyable, is the little scenarios in which we glimpse the ambiguity of undercover life, particularly the insights about the emotional toll that befriending and liking targets has on young undercover officers. Yes there's exciting, heart stopping moments as Keith sails close to the wind (and fears getting his head blown off) but it's the deeper emotional content that makes this such an engrossing book. Well worth the read.

[Denita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first heard of this book when I listened to a podcast on it and thought it would be interesting to learn more. It definitely was very engaging and because the author is four years older than myself I could identify the era as well as the places around Brisbane and Queensland he was talking about. I would like to hear more of his story after he left the police service as after all his experiences going undercover I'm sure his life would have been very hard mentally.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good look into the life of an undercover cop in 80's Australia. Some cultural stuff in the book will be lost on readers outside of this country but I would still recommend it as it deals more with the mindset of the man who wrote this book, realizing that the line between criminal and normal citizen is not as clear cut as it should be. Good stuff. Also some of the stories recounted are pretty funny too in spite of the serious subject matter. Give it a go.

[Suzanne Smedley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to congratulate Keith on his books, I was truly immersed in all the situations. The books are addictive and the best books I have read in a very long time. You are a truly inspirational person and I cannot thank you enough for your honesty and where you guys put yourselves for the safety of everyone, you should all be very proud and I feel the sadness for you all for the colleagues you lost. Be very proud.

[SHANE · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the authors first book of two (to date).
A wonderful read and certainly describes the incredibly difficult conditions he worked under as an undercover operative for the QPS.

The story moves along quickly describing a life that is hard to imagine.
Dangerous, alone and working largely unsupported it is exciting reading.
I could not put the book down.

Highly recommended reading.

[tracy duquemin · Rating 5 out of 5]

great read

i listened to this story on i catch killers and immediately bought both books. left me with an overwhelming sense of sadness from the author, and i felt his disappointment, disillusionment and angst at being amongst people who should be trustworthy but weren’t. i wish all cops were like you, keith. thank you for your service.

[Eion Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a random pick and well worth the read. Appreciated the honesty and authenticity of this book, as good story-telling based on real events. Recognise that a time and a place for this story, as would not work in modern times with advances of technology and WHS standards.

Had this down for a 3★, with an extra ★ for authenticity and grit. 4★

[Rikki Dobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.75

As a big fan of memoirs and true crime, I enjoyed this book. It did feel a little monotonous at times (understandable given the niche profession) but still an easy read with lots of food for thought and interesting stories! Really appreciated Keith's exploration of how undercover work impacted his personal life and sense of self.

[Kylie Sharman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. I am holding onto this book for my children to read when they are old enough. I have learnt so much from reading this book. I have never felt so greatful for the work Police do to keep us safe. Easy to follow and kept me on the edge of my seat almost every page. A must read.

[Stephen Tubbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once he had his long hair cut, after coming out of undercover, what followed could have been summarised as his adventures just went over similar ground. In other words the shorter the hair the shorter the story.

[Liv Collette · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real eye opener into QLD’s police corruption in the 70’s/80’s and life as an undercover. Keith tells his story with raw honesty and reading about his experiences was both shocking and captivating. Very interesting read and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.