"Yes, we were breaking the law, but we weren't bad people. We were weed people." Such is the story of Jimmy Devine, a white Bahamanian marijuana smuggler who got rich in the '70s and busted in the '80s. He's the subject of John McCaslin's terrific new book, Weed Man.

Growing up in the Bahamas in the '60s, Devine (real name Moree) stumbled upon a huge load of weed that had washed up on shore. He contacted a friend who moved the weight and paid him handsomely. Devine joined a Fort Lauderdale based crew that ferried tons of marijuana to the U.S.

It was a time when the seas were wide open and the Coast Guard lax and unaware of the 25,000-pound shipments stowed away in trawlers. Gradually, Devine's occupation became really dangerous, as the DEA devoted more technology, manpower and resources to thwart smugglers.

Devine had a few close calls with the law, but his record was unscathed until he got involved with CIA operatives bringing hash into the country. Scrupulously opposed to transporting coke or heroin, the deal backfired and ultimately led to his arrest.

What's unsettling about Devine is the fact, according to McCaslin, that he never smoked pot (or took a drink, for that matter). It belies the caricature of the drug transaction, especially in Colombia, when the courier is expected to sample the product. He never smoked a joint? That's almost as amazing as this incredible story.

Chock full of high-seas adventure, McCaslin's Weed Man is a quality cannabis-friendly read.


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