South-east England, 1740s: War and heated politics bring the old practice of smuggling to new and dangerous heights. Violent gangs of smugglers terrorize communities and confound government attempts to stop them. The most famous of these, the Hawkhurst Gang, operate like a modern drug cartel fueled by illegal tea. They threaten witnesses and authorities, brandish weapons in public, and fight battles in the streets, murdering and kidnapping those who get in their way.
My guest, Joseph Dragovich, is author of “Hawkhurst: Murder, Corruption, and Britain’s Most Notorious Smuggling Gang.” He gives us a brief history of this very notorious group of smugglers and the people who helped put an end to their terror.
The author’s website: https://hawkhurst-book.co.uk/
The author on Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/joedragovich.bsky.social
The author on Twitter/X: https://x.com/joedragovich/
