Marine Raider TAKES DOWN a Billion Dollar West-Africa Drug Op—and Barely Escapes Alive

About this video

A former Marine Raider recounts his contracting work for an Israeli company in East Africa and West Africa. In Kenya, he describes uncovering al-Shabaab intelligence, and in Somalia, he recounts dangerous conditions including an al-Shabaab attack on his camp. On the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe, he says he accidentally uncovered what the country’s attorney general called the largest political corruption scandal in the nation’s history while training law enforcement, discovering alleged connections between a drug dealer and top officials, and feared for his life until he could escape the island.

Key takeaways

• The guest recounts being sent by his employer to multiple African locations without adequate security or equipment despite operating in kinetic environments
• The guest describes accidentally uncovering alleged widespread corruption in São Tomé and Príncipe, including communications between a drug dealer and mayors, law enforcement officials, and a narcotic sergeant
• The guest says he barricaded himself in his hotel room and prepared escape plans, fearing he would be killed before he could leave the island, and was eventually fired after criticizing the company’s handling of the dangerous assignments

Episode details: published August 1, 2025 · 15.6K views · 13:38 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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