23

The Mastermind

2011–2012 . . . Le Roux makes a move

Paul Le Roux always knew that the end would come, or so those close to him would say. The sheer gluttony of his crimi- nal appetite meant he was all but daring law enforcement to take him down. To feed it, his enterprise had grown ferociously, with a logic discernible only to Le Roux. By 2011, he was moving large quantities of methamphetamine across Southeast Asia, using a di- rect pipeline out of North Korea. He was working on large-scale cocaine deals in South America and testing his own drone designs in the Philippines to help ship the drugs. He was buying and selling weapons around the world—in Sri Lanka, in Indonesia, in Eastern Europe, in Iran—dealing with rogue regimes, warlords, terrorists, and anyone with money.

He was also in the midst of unleashing an orgy of violence in the Philippines, through Hunter and his team of assassins. His hit list now included journalists, random service providers, and former employees, all suspected of betrayals large or trivial. His targets now ranged from Nestor Del Rosario, his once-trusted deputy who had orchestrated the weapons purchases in Iran, to a ship captain