Lectures on Tap - "How a British Sailor Invented the Modern Drug Trade"

📍 Location: Exact address given in confirmation email

📚 Lecture: “How a British Sailor Invented the Modern Drug Trade”

🎤 Speaker: Author, Dr. David Tuch

Join us for a captivating evening as Dr. David Tuch unveils the incredible true story of Harold Derber, a British merchant seaman whose postwar smuggling network played a crucial role in shaping America's modern narcotics economy. Based on his new book, "The Wireless Operator: The Untold Story of the British Sailor Who Invented the Modern Drug Trade," this lecture will explore the exploits of Derber and the notorious “mothership loophole.”

This little-known maritime legal gap allowed traffickers to anchor just offshore, transferring drugs to smaller boats that would deliver them ashore. By the early 1970s, Derber's innovative methods had dramatically increased marijuana imports into the U.S., laying the groundwork for what would become a significant aspect of the drug trade. His flagship was ultimately seized during Operation Stopgap, marking a pivotal moment in the militarized war on drugs.

Dr. David Tuch is an entrepreneur and debut author passionate about unearthing history's hidden chapters. Originally from New York, he has lived in both England and France, and now calls Brookline, Massachusetts home.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insight into a fascinating chapter of drug history!

Get a drink, connect, and learn at Lectures on Tap! 🙌

Agenda

6:30 PM – Doors open: find a seat (open seating!), order food & drinks, and expect a bar line—arriving early is key.

6:55 PM – Host introduction

7:00 PM – Lecture begins

7:45 PM – Audience Q&A

8:00 PM – Have 1:1 time with the speaker, mingle with fellow guests, and order another round

8:30 PM – Wrap up.

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