Chapter 20: Smuggling Business

Hardy collected the guns and bullets from Old Mike. The total cost, including a 30% premium, amounted to over $3,800—no small amount. Hardy signed off on the payment and left.

Back at Bill's house, now their stronghold, everyone was busy handling their new weapons. Hardy observed their preparations and joked, "With all these guns, it'd be a shame not to rob a bank."

Of course, he had no intention of actually robbing a bank. There were plenty of ways to make money without provoking government and police attention.

"Alright, everyone, let's discuss the next job," Hardy announced.

All eyes turned to him. They hadn't come to Los Angeles to retire, and they knew they'd be involved in gang conflicts. Their past battle experiences made them eager for the action.

"I mentioned before that the Jewish gang is currently in conflict with several other gangs in Los Angeles, including the Irish, Spanish, and Mexican gangs, as well as others. We need more detailed information."

"You're all new faces, which is good for investigations. Henry and Matthew will look into the Irish gang, while Neal and Leo will investigate the Spanish gang."

Henry, Matthew, Neal, and Leo nodded in agreement.

"Sean and Ryder will handle daily transactions, and Richard and Kerry will follow the cars, staying alert for potential attacks."

The designated team members acknowledged their tasks.

Hardy then called Great Ivan to focus on the Mexican and Polish gangs and other relevant groups. Ivan agreed to the task and promised to investigate thoroughly.

The next morning, everyone quickly prepared and went out. Hardy, accompanied by Sean and Ryder, went to deliver goods while Richard and Kerry followed in Bill's Ford, ready for any situation. The Ford was loaded with weapons.

A week passed quietly, creating a false sense of peace in Los Angeles.

Then, a significant event occurred.

A loud whistle blared as a massive container ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles. As the ship stabilized, several cars arrived, and dozens of customs and police workers disembarked.

"Inspection!" the customs officers announced.

They boarded the ship and opened a container filled with wooden boxes. After removing the sawdust, they discovered bottles of red wine.

"Supervisor, this is French wine," one officer reported.

The supervisor examined the shipment and nodded. "It seems the informant was accurate. Detain it and conduct a thorough inspection."

The workers moved the wooden boxes to the port warehouse. After a detailed examination, they confirmed the shipment contained high-quality French wines such as Mouton, Latour, Petrus, Margaux, and several second-tier brands—a total of 430 boxes with over 2,500 bottles.

"Supervisor, the French wines are worth over $250,000. The declared contents were toys and fishing gear, which are duty-free. If taxed, this shipment could exceed $450,000," an officer reported.

"What did the freighter's representative say?" the supervisor asked.

"He claimed ignorance," was the reply.

The supervisor scoffed. "Interrogate him thoroughly and detain him. Report this to higher authorities for further action."

Jewish gang boss Fred was enraged when he learned of the wine seizure. It was a significant financial loss.

Determined to find the source of the leak, Fred called his boss, Mr. Siegel. He was anxious about how Siegel would respond.

When the call connected, a low voice answered, "Who is it?"

"Mr. Siegel, it's Fred," he said nervously.

"What's the issue, Fred?"

Fred explained the situation: the smuggled red wine had been seized by customs. An angry voice responded from the other end.

"Fred, you've greatly disappointed me. Your inaction has caused this. I order you to take decisive action and eliminate the threat."

"I'll try to resolve the customs issue, but it will be costly. You know how much it will cost to recover the goods," Fred said.

He was scolded and hung up, his frustration growing. He knew his boss had invested a lot of money and secretly drawn from company funds. Fred had been warned to make every effort, but now he had failed.

He called his second-in-command, Alan Payne.

"Alan, our goods have been seized by customs, and Siegel is furious. We need to address this. What are your thoughts?"

Alan Payne considered the situation. "First, mobilize the action team for retaliatory strikes against the Irish. Second, increase profit commissions to boost performance. Third, encourage subordinates to act; adjust the profit split from 46% to 37% for their motivation."

Fred agreed. "Alright, gather all supervisors and district leaders for a meeting this afternoon to assign tasks."

Fred attended the meeting at the headquarters. Fred sat at the head of the table with Alan Payne beside him. Over twenty bosses, including those in charge of casinos, smuggling, loan sharking, and other operations, were present.

Fred addressed the group, "Recent events have been troubling. The Irish have allied with other gangs and attacked our taverns, nightclubs, casinos, and trucks, causing heavy losses."

"Today, a container of our French red wine was seized. It's clear that another gang must have tipped off the customs, causing us significant damage."

The room was silent, the bosses attentive but cautious. They knew Fred's next steps would be crucial.

"Three points," Fred said, holding up three fingers.

"First, the precise knowledge of the wine container and its details indicates an insider. Williams, I'm assigning someone to work with you to identify the mole."

Williams, the smuggling supervisor, looked troubled but determined. "Yes, boss, I'll find the insider."

Fred added, "This smuggling operation cost us over half a million dollars. I expect you to resolve this issue quickly."

Williams stood up resolutely. "I will handle it, boss. I'll find out who's responsible."

Fred's command was clear: act swiftly and decisively to regain control and address the internal betrayal.