{"product_id":"diamond-smugglers-the-true-story-of-an-international-crime-ring-and-its-downfall-told-by-the-creator-of-james-bond","title":"Diamond Smugglers: The True Story of an International Crime Ring and Its Downfall, Told by the Creator of James Bond","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTHE TRUE STORY OF AN INTERNATIONAL CRIME RING AND ITS DOWNFALL\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 1957, as the Cold War raged, Ian Fleming took a respite from writing James Bond to craft a work of nonfiction every bit as tense as a Bond adventure. Aided by an ex-MI5 agent and International Diamond Security Organization operative going by the alias \"John Blaize,\" Fleming chronicled the IDSO's infiltration of the \"million-carat network\"―the world's most notorious diamond smuggling ring.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery year, a shadowy band of racketeers pirated a fortune in diamonds out of Africa, and the majority of the stolen gems wound up in the hands of Communist nations. In response, the IDSO commissioned a private army, led by legendary British spymaster Sir Percy Sillitoe, to penetrate and topple the ring.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen the operation was complete, the Sunday Times gave the story to Fleming, who had impressed Sillitoe with his earlier Bond adventure Diamonds Are Forever. A remarkable feat of investigative journalism, The Diamond Smugglers is the thrilling true story behind one of the greatest spy operations in history. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHow did a private army of ex-spies dismantle an international crime ring stretching from Africa to the Iron Curtain?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eInternational Crime Ring: \u003c\/b\u003e Go inside the \"million-carat network,\" a shadowy organization pirating a fortune in diamonds out of Africa to fund Communist nations during the Cold War.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eCold War History: \u003c\/b\u003e Discover the hidden geopolitical stakes as stolen industrial diamonds become a crucial resource in the arms race between East and West.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eSpymaster vs. Smugglers: \u003c\/b\u003e Follow legendary British spymaster Sir Percy Sillitoe as he recruits an elite team of ex-MI5 operatives, including the enigmatic \"John Blaize,\" to infiltrate and topple the network.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eIan Fleming Nonfiction: \u003c\/b\u003e Experience a real-life intelligence operation recounted with the same narrative tension and eye for detail that made James Bond a global phenomenon.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Ian Fleming","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47355784626412,"sku":"9780063299108","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback - Large Print","offer_id":47355784659180,"sku":"9780063445734","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0684\/1791\/3068\/files\/9780063299108.jpg?v=1772688855","url":"https:\/\/intl.allstora.com\/products\/diamond-smugglers-the-true-story-of-an-international-crime-ring-and-its-downfall-told-by-the-creator-of-james-bond","provider":"Allstora","version":"1.0","type":"link"}