Whisper in the Shadows
Welcome to ‘Whispers in the Shadows’, your gateway into the nerve-wracking work of undercover policing. The true stories of a real-life undercover cop. I’m Michael Bates, an ex-undercover police officer, and this was my reality for over two years. If your fascinated by the truth that lies beneath crime shows, if you hunger for the real-life stories that leap beyond the boundaries of fiction, ‘Whispers in the Shadows’ is here to satisfy your curiosity. From infiltrating drug syndicates to living a double life, every episode uncovers a thrilling true story that pitted me against the face of danger. Don’t miss out on the chance to step into my shoes and experience what it takes to walk the thin line between law and crime. Subscribe to ‘Whispers in the Shadows’ and join me, as we delve into the gritty world of undercover policing.
Whisper in the Shadows
A Clandestine Dance of Trust and Deception
Step into the perilous world of deep undercover operations with Michael Bates, a former cop who traded his badge for a covert alias to infiltrate a drug syndicate. Through his eyes, we're plunged into the heart of an intense drug buy with old classmates and the meticulous orchestration of a buy-bust that teeters on the brink of disaster. The tension is palpable as Michael shares the gravity of maintaining his cover, the critical importance of marked bills, and the gut-wrenching moments of a sting operation threatened by the simplest of errors.
This episode is a journey through the clandestine dance of trust and deception that defines the life of an undercover officer, with Michael Bates leading the narrative. From the strategic nuances of selecting a public meeting spot to the unforeseen offer that could topple a heroin empire, we witness the high stakes and higher risks of policing the shadowy corners of the drug trade. Whether it's the frustration of a botched bust or the thrill of potentially meeting the syndicate's kingpins, you're guaranteed a gripping tale of danger and the relentless pursuit of justice.
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Hello and welcome to my podcast Whisper in the Shadows the true story of a real-life undercover cop. I'm Michael Bates and I was a police officer for 15 years in one of the country's state police forces. I was also an undercover cop for over two years, and all the episodes of this podcast are my true stories of what it's really like to be an undercover cop. Rather, I was Michael Bates, so full disclosure Michael is not actually my real name. It was my COVID identity I used on most of my operations.
Speaker 1:Now, everyone has a notion of what undercover policing is all about, whether you think they are a narc, a COVID operative, a dog or an undercover cop. Most people seem to confuse plainclothes police with being undercover. There is a very big difference, though. Most plainclothes police don't wear a uniform, so they aren't as obtrusive in public. Being covert is completely different, though. You become immersed in the world of your targets. When you're a police officer, part of your role is to investigate crimes. This means you try and find evidence to prove the person you have arrested has committed that crime. Now, this evidence can consist of physical, verbal, video and witnesses. When you're an undercover police officer, though, you are the evidence and you are the reason someone gets convicted of the crimes. That is both exciting and dangerous. So why don't we get on with the next episode? Welcome to episode 13 of the Whisper in the Shadows podcast.
Speaker 1:At the end of last week's episode, myself and Susan had headed off to pick up Trevor from his place and we had just arrived at Kate's place where I was going to do a buy. Now, remember, I also knew both Trevor and Kate from school across the six-year period. Trevor had just gone inside to get Kate so I could buy the heroin. I was fairly confident Trevor hadn't recognized me, but wouldn't know for sure until either he came back out or Kate came out with the drugs. Oh, and I was buying half a grand from them as this was the first buy. Now it had been about 10 minutes and we were still sitting outside waiting for someone to come back out. I had purposely not given the money to Trevor, I wanted to give it to Kate. I said to Susan do they usually make you wait this long? I usually go inside, but she is very slow, susan said, and just as she said that the front door opens, kate appears and literally flows out the front door and down the front path.
Speaker 1:Kate was dressed very much like a hippie, in a long flowing dress. She looked the same as she did at school, but you could tell that the hate had taken a toll on her. She looked much older than 24. Her face was lined and sallow, her hair was dirty and she was skinny, very skinny.
Speaker 1:Kate walks up to the passenger side window and says hi, susan, and looking at me, you must be Mick, yeah, kate, right? I said. And looking at me, you must be Mick, yeah, kate, right? I said yes, so you want half a gram? She said matter-of-factly. It wasn't a question, it wasn't a statement. I wasn't sure if she was trying to show she was the boss or was thinking something else. She definitely didn't recognise me, that much I was sure of. She wasn't entirely with it, though I wouldn't have been surprised if she was just coming back from an earlier hit. She just looked directly at me with glazed over eyes. There was no recognition. They were almost lifeless. Yep, I finally said Great, $350, she said with a slight smile, and she put her hand on the windowsill and opened it. In her palm was an alvol package. That I assumed was the half a gram heroin. I reached into the front pocket of my overshirt, which is kind of like a flannelette shirt, took out the money, which was a combination of $20 and $50 notes, and gave to Kate. She gave me the heroin. Get my number off, susan, and you can call me when you need to get on again. She said yeah, thanks, I will. I said and, and with that she counted the money, turned around and walked back inside.
Speaker 1:Now, before the buy, I was genuinely worried that one or both were going to recognize me. I guess I got my answer on whether they would, because neither of them had even a flicker of recognition. I dropped Susan home and then headed back to my controller's house to do the administration for the buy. I did come clean with him about knowing both Trevor and Kate and how I knew them. He wasn't happy, but we agreed that I wasn't going to do any more buys from them. He did have a laugh when I told him the story of how, when I was a teenager, I said I would get Trevor back one day.
Speaker 1:A few days later, tracy called me back and confirmed the meet for the following day. I was to meet her in the car park of a local KFC. This KFC was at a major intersection. Across one road was a small shopping centre with a night owl type of convenience store and a fruit market and there was a much larger one on the opposite diagonal corner which had things like coals and some fast food places and a bank etc. It was also not far from the major shopping centre for the area and the hotel where we had met up and I had run into the person who knew me. So you can understand my apprehension at being seen or noticed by someone who knew me by my real name and didn't know I was working undercover. Tracy said she would bring John to meet me here and we would do the buy in her car. Now I knew that car park well, there were great lines of sight and it would be really good place to record the buy. I thought that this was definitely going to go our way and be the easiest of buys. Tracy told me the half an ounce was going to cost six and a half thousand dollars. Again, we recorded all the serial numbers of the $50 notes and photocopied them all. Just before leaving for the meet I counted them twice to make sure I had correct weight. This was going to be an important buy to move the operation forward Surveillance had been organized and they were set up ready to record the buy. I had no idea where they were, but they did use a live microphone to record my conversations, which meant they could hear everything that was going on.
Speaker 1:Now, whenever I was going on a meet, I generally always took my gun with me. I would always have it sitting in the back of my jeans and the small of my back. I never had to use it, except for that one time with Danny, but was that really classed as using it? Anyway, on the day of the buy, when I arrived at the KFC, I had a decision to make Do I carry it with me or leave it in my car? I was usually in my own car when I did buys and felt comfortable with having it on me. This day, I decided to take it out and put it under my seat.
Speaker 1:As I was doing this, tracy pulled up in her car. She parked next to me and motioned me to come over, got out of the car, locked it and then got in the front passenger seat of hers. Hi, tracy. I said Where's John? I thought he was coming with you and I was meeting him to do this buy. Yeah, yeah, you are, but he doesn't want to do it here in the open. I'll take you to him. She said Now, hang on. I started. You said we were doing it here.
Speaker 1:I was getting a little bit paranoid. I had eight and a half grand on me, the two for Tracy and another six and a half for the buy. I had a nagging thought that I might be getting rolled here, which was actually a genuine possibility. Yeah, yeah, he changed his mind, don't stress, he's just up the road. She said I thought I'd made a big mistake, leaving my gun in the car and I couldn't go back for it. Do you have my two grand? Tracy asked yeah, of course I do, but I'll give it to you when we get back. I replied Nah, mate, I want it before we go. That's the deal. She said Righto, tracy, but it's in the car. I have to get out and get it. I said Off, you go. Then she replied so I get back out of the car, walk back over to mine, unlock and get in the driver's side.
Speaker 1:The money, funnily enough, was in a brown paper bag under the seat. The money, funnily enough, was in a brown paper bag under the seat. Ironic, I know. For a split second, part of me thought I should grab my gun. But I had the door open and Tracy could see what I was doing. If I did she might get spooked. And then the buy was over. I grabbed the money, took it out of the bag and counted it in plain sight. I showed her the money, got out of the car, closed and locked the door and went back to Tracy. Once I got back in I gave her the money and said you're two grand. Thank you very much. She said, taking it and putting it in her handbag. With a slight smile, she started the car.
Speaker 1:Now I assumed that it was also going to be a headache for the surveillance team as well. They were all set up to covertly record the buy. I assumed that they would just follow me and try and set up and record me in the new location. That was a nice thought. Tracy drove out of the KFC onto the main road northbound and then turned right into the Spurbin area near a bowls club. Not many people at the bowls club today. I said, trying to give some locations away in case we were being followed. Oh, do you play, do you? Tracy asked Nah, nah, I didn't mean that I used to come here a lot with my nan. That's all I said. Now that was actually true. I knew exactly where I was and knew the back streets here like the back of my hand. Growing up, I had three schoolmates who lived in that part of the suburb and I did actually go to the balls club a lot with my nan at the balls club a lot with my nan.
Speaker 1:We turned right into a familiar street. It was the street my best mate from school lived in. I'd only seen him a few months earlier at my wedding and then his wedding, whilst he didn't live there, his father and sister still did. As we were driving along the street, we were getting closer and closer to his father's house. We drove past a car that was parked in the street about the only car and went a short way around the curve before it straightens out Tracy then pulls over and stops. We were almost directly across the road from my mate's house. Fuck, I hope John isn't his dad. I thought to myself he wasn't. I heard the back door open and someone get in behind me. Now John must have been in the car parked on the side of the road and walked up to the car. I didn't see him walk down from in front of us and there was no one walking or standing in the street on either side.
Speaker 1:When we arrived, tracy, he said John, this is Mick. She said Mick, don't look around. He said Now, that made me nervous. Hi, john.
Speaker 1:Now I had already given Tracy her $2,000 before we left KFC, so I only had the $6,500 on me. Do you have my money? He asked yeah, yeah, sure I have it here. I said, patting my pocket Right, give it to me, came the reply. It was more than a request, more like a very calm order. I took the money, which were all $50 notes, out of my pocket and put it up over my right shoulder with my right hand. Do you want me to count it? I asked no, I'll trust you, he said, and as he took the money, my right hand was still up over my shoulder with my palm facing up. I could hear him doing something in the back seat and then he said here you go. I felt something, touch my hand, but whatever it was fell on the floor behind Tracy's seat. You'll have to reach over and pick that one up. He said.
Speaker 1:I've used the phrase five cent fifty cent before to describe how I was feeling. What it actually means is when you get that, that puckering feeling or the feeling like you're shitting oneself. That's how I was feeling. My stress levels went through the roof. Now remember from where he was sitting behind me. I couldn't see John. The only thought I had was I'm going to land across into the back seat footwell of this car and he's going to pop me, either shoot me in the back of the head or stab me or punch me or do something like that. I'm gone here.
Speaker 1:I was genuinely as scared as I've ever been in my life. I took a deep and audible breath, turned and reached down into the footwell behind Tracy's seat. There I saw a package wrapped in tissue paper. I picked it up and sat back in the seat. I exhaled deeply. Sound a bit nervous there.
Speaker 1:Mick John said to me Did I? Nah, all good mate. I replied. He then said just didn't want to get my fingerprints on it. I opened the tissue paper and inside was an alfalfa wrapped package, and inside that was half an ounce of rock heroin. Yes, that's right. Tissue paper, a surface where you wouldn't get fingerprints, not to mention that the alfalfa in the package underneath would have had fingerprints on it. I'm pretty sure he dropped it on purpose to see if it would scare me and to see how I would react. John then said I have your number and I'll give you a call in a few days to see how it went. You will deal with me and only me. Got it? Yep, john got it. I'll talk to you when you call. And with that he got out of the car and we drove off.
Speaker 1:Tracy took me back to my car and I got out, making sure I had the heroin with me. I said bye, unlocked my driver's side door and got in. I made sure she had driven off and then I let out a huge sigh. My hands were literally shaking and I had to sit there for a few minutes to calm myself down. Adrenaline was coursing through my body and my heart was racing. I was also pretty elated that, one, I didn't get hurt or killed and, two, I now had made contact with the next level in the syndicate.
Speaker 1:I headed back to a predetermined pickup point where I met with my controller. I drove back to the covert safe house and walked down the street and was picked up by him. He then took me to the drug squad offices. We did all the administrative things like weighing the drugs, which were right on half an ounce, testing them Yep, it was heroin and a general debrief. The change of location had caused problems for the surveillance team. They were able to record the buy on audio, but not video, the reason being the street where Tracy had parked. There was nowhere for them to stop and sit without looking suspicious, so they had to drive past us then turn off into the next street. I still don't know if that was the reason John had picked that spot or if it was just a huge coincidence. Either way, that buy did not get videoed. I had nothing more to do with Tracy until the operation closed, and even then it was just for information.
Speaker 1:My focus was now on John and I didn't have to wait too long for the next interaction. John called me about three days later. He asked me some questions about my business, which I must have answered satisfactorily, because he proceeded to tell me about his business and that he was originally from interstate. He only came here to set up the distribution for the triads and was hoping he would find someone to take it over so he could move back. He then told me he was going to travel back interstate to get some more heroin and asked me did I want to put in another order? The only catch was it had to be an ounce. Now that was a big escalation from a quarter ounce to a full ounce. I made some excuse about letting me see if I could get the money together. It was going to be 11 grand and that was a lot of cash.
Speaker 1:As soon as I hung up the phone, my next call was to my controller. I told him of the development and he was pretty happy. It seemed they had tied him to the distribution for a Vietnamese group operating from interstate. Of course I suggested we go ahead with it. We could maybe try and get an intro to the source of where the drugs were coming from. He needed to make a decision quickly because John's flight was in a few days. He would fly down in the morning and then back in the afternoon and had wanted me to meet him at the airport to do the buy. My controller made some calls and we were given the go ahead for this buy. So I rang John and told him I was in. He then gave me details of his flight back and told me to meet him in the pickup car park of a domestic terminal about half an hour after his flight was due to arrive. He said he didn't take any luggage on these trips so he would walk straight through and didn't have to wait in baggage collection area. Apparently it was the areas where you had to wait that were the biggest risk of getting you caught. He asked what car I drove and said he would see me. Then it was decided we would do a buy bust.
Speaker 1:The plan was to get as much information out of John as possible, get the drugs but try and not give him the money. Before the troops came running in and grabbed him. The car park was going to be set up so the space I parked in there would be three or four cars with coppers in them, with good line of sight, ie not too far away. So when I said the code word, they would come running and grab John. It was a good plan. I would have the money in the back of the Vitara. Once John showed me the heroin I would say I just have to get out and get the money, as it was in the compartment in the boot. Once I said I just have to get out and get the money in would come the cavalry. It was a good plan. It was a very simple and good plan. The phrase was simple and if it was missed me, getting out was the second trigger. It was a very simple and good plan. The phrase was simple and if it was missed me, getting out was the second trigger. It was a very simple and good plan.
Speaker 1:The day of the by-bust came Early morning to the drug squad officers we go through the plan. Everyone has a last minute, say we cover off on contingencies, what if this happens, etc. I'm wired up and given the 11 grand, the last thing my controller says to me is try and make sure you don't give him the money before the team get there to arrest him. Yeah, well, I'll be out of the car getting it when they do that. So sure, I said it was a good plan.
Speaker 1:Surveillance head out to the airport to get set up. About half an hour later I head out too. I went through all the things I needed to do. It was a good plan. Pulled into the car park park and turn the car off. I wind down my windows, take my seatbelt off and have a quick glance around. Couldn't see the team, but I knew they were there.
Speaker 1:About 10 to 15 minutes after parking I see John walking out of the arrivals door and he heads straight to my car. The front passenger door is unlocked, so he opens it and gets in. He was carrying what looked like a parcel post envelope and it had something in it, not too bulky but noticeable, mick. He says hi, john, how was your flight? I asked yeah, it was good, went like clockwork. He replied how often do you do the flights? I asked Once every couple of weeks, usually if I have to get large amounts. John then went on to explain that he goes with a female friend on the flights. They don't sit together, but he pays for her flights.
Speaker 1:Now I had wondered after that first buy why the package had been wrapped in tissue paper, because in almost every other buy I had done it was just in alfoil. John explained that he would wrap the heroin tissue paper that had been soaked in perfume. His female friend would then put that in her bra and they would enter the airport, board the flight and come back. His female friend was also wearing the same perfume and carrying the bottle in her handbag. Apparently this was to put off any drug detection dogs that might be at the airport. He had used the same method heaps of times. He was also starting to get the heroin sent via parcel post bags, as customs didn't check them. They were only a new offering by Australia Post. He would also send the cash back to the syndicate using the express post parcel bags. It is amazing to think that such an obvious method of transporting drugs and money wasn't policed, but it is now.
Speaker 1:It was then that he pulled out the ounce of heroin. He made a great show of unwrapping the tissue paper and there it was an alfalfa package of an ounce or 28 grams of heroin. That looks great, john. I just have to get out and get the money as it's in the compartment in the back, wanted to hide it. Just in case you know what I mean. Yeah, sure, mick, all good. He said the phrase had been said. It was a simple plan.
Speaker 1:I opened the driver's door and slowly get out of the car. I then closed the driver's door. I have a quick scan around the car park and I can't see any movement. That's a bit odd. I thought I walk to the back of the Vitara and open the back door Again. I have a look around no one. I say to John through the car so how often can you meet me doing this? I want to talk to you about that, mick. He says, looking back at me I must have had a quizzical look on my face because he smiled. So I'm fidgeting around for the money and eventually grab the envelope with it in no-transcript. I make eye contact and nod, as if to say shouldn't you be here by now? He stops dead in his tracks.
Speaker 1:I walk back over to the driver's door open and get in. John hands me the heroin and I have to hand him the money. That is what you do, right? I'm still expecting old mate two cards crossed to come running in with someone, anyone. John then says to me Mick, remember how I said I wanted to move back home? Yeah, I said, but you wanted to find someone to take over first. Yeah, that's right. He said Would you be interested in distributing here? I can take you with me next time to meet the people I work for and if they approve, then you can work for them and I can go off and do something else. Um, yeah, if you think I could. I said, said knowing full well that at any minute now he was going to be busted. Brady says we'll talk soon, and with that he puts the money in his pocket and he gets out of my car and walks off toward the passenger car park.
Speaker 1:Now I'm sitting there going. What the hell? It was such a simple plan. It was a good plan. I reverse out of the parking space and drive to the plan. It was a good plan. I reverse out of the parking space and drive to the exit. I pass a car with two plainclothes cops heading to where John had parked his car.
Speaker 1:As I'm driving off, I call my controller. What the fuck happened? I had to give him the money. Where was everyone? I don't know. Let's talk about it.
Speaker 1:At the back of the office he said what else could I do? So I headed back to the office Everyone comes back and it turns out surveillance had gone to intercept him as he was leaving the car park, but didn't. No one came running because they couldn't remember what the phrase was and thought I was still doing the deal. It is what one would call a clusterfuck. Well, except for the intriguing offer that was made regarding me meeting the big bosses and taking over the local distribution operation Whilst, I was disappointed that such a good plan didn't work.
Speaker 1:I was over the moon at the intel and the opportunity we had. Of course my say in the matter was non-existent, but from where I sat it was a no-brainer. I do know my controller was of the opinion that it was a unique opportunity to infiltrate a national heroin syndicate and make a huge dent in it. A call was made to the state police of where the Vietnamese group were located. There were a lot of high-level discussions about what an operation might look like and how it could work. Could I fly to Sydney and they let me be introduced by John to the Vietnamese? Did they have intel on the group and how dangerous was it? Would I have legal protection or did I need to be sworn in as a special constable? After a few days it became clear that it wasn't going to happen, the reason being both police forces wanted to take credit for the work and the operation. Neither was backing down on it, so it didn't go ahead. It was just a dumb pissing competition. As far as I was concerned. We had a unique opportunity to make inroads into a national trafficking syndicate.
Speaker 1:Hubris and bureaucracy got in the way and, as far as I'm aware, the syndicate continued on, with substantial information already collected on John, there was really no reason to continue operation any longer. A decision was made to close the op and the long process of developing plans for the close started. I made no further buys from any of the targets. Also, it had been a few weeks since I'd had any dealings with Susan. She wasn't told when the raids were going to happen or that the operation was being closed until midway through that day. For obvious reasons, plans were made up for raid day. I had to attend a lot of meetings and give as much information and feedback about the targets as I could. They were going to raid everyone on the same day. Given most of the targets lived in the same police division or area. No by bus this time. I was just a keen observer. Roy and Charlo, tracy, trevor and Kate and John were all raided. All were found with various amounts of heroin and money. John was interesting. They found three ounces of heroin and over $120,000. He had money all bundled up as well as already in parcel post bags ready to be mailed. All in all, it was a very successful operation, despite the fact that we left some players on the board, albeit in another state.
Speaker 1:I found out a number of months later that Susan had been found dead. It appeared she'd committed suicide through taking an overdose. Now I will never know if it was an accidental overdose or premeditated. The matter was obviously investigated by the coroner. But there are times when even now I wonder.
Speaker 1:To say it didn't affect me would be bullshit. It did. I certainly don't blame myself for it, but there are times I wonder if what we did impacted on her decision to take her own life. As I sit here and record this, thinking about it, I definitely have a tear in my eye and an emotional response to it. I have to admit that at the time I felt a tension of sadness. She was a good kid that had taken a wrong turn down life's path and never quite came back. She will always be that rat bag girl at school who would never follow the rules and had a dislike of authority, albeit my authority. There are some things that we do as undercover police that people generally never see or do. Has it affected me? I think it definitely has. Who knows, maybe even as a form of PTSD.
Speaker 1:Now, that's a subject that I'll be exploring in my next interview series episode with author and advocate Keith Banks. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss this interesting and, at times, eye-opening conversation. After that, the next episodes will be around my third operation. Thanks for listening. Talk to you next time. Thank you for listening to Whisper in the Shadows my true stories of a real-life undercover cop. I hope you've enjoyed that episode. In the next one we'll explore more exciting stories from my operations. Please make sure you subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. Lastly, if you're an ex-COVID operative or undercover police officer, I would love to chat to you about your experiences. Or, if you're feeling dangerous, tell your stories on my podcast. Please get in contact by my email, which is whisperintheshadowspodcast at gmailcom. I look forward to you joining me next time.
