1 00:00:15,411 --> 00:00:15,891 Speaker 1: Pushkin. 2 00:00:19,610 --> 00:00:22,851 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, before we get into this episode, I wanted 3 00:00:22,851 --> 00:00:24,410 Speaker 2: to let you know that you can listen to the 4 00:00:24,451 --> 00:00:28,011 Speaker 2: full season of The Chinatown Stinging add free right now. 5 00:00:28,371 --> 00:00:32,371 Speaker 2: By signing up for Pushkin Plus. You'll also get bonus episodes, 6 00:00:32,771 --> 00:00:36,370 Speaker 2: full audiobooks, and other true crime binges from your favorite 7 00:00:36,371 --> 00:00:40,611 Speaker 2: Pushkin hosts and authors. Find Pushkin Plus on the Chinatownsting 8 00:00:40,771 --> 00:00:45,051 Speaker 2: Show page on Apple Podcasts. We're at pushkin dot fm, 9 00:00:45,091 --> 00:00:51,371 Speaker 2: slash plus. On February ninth, nineteen eighty eight, David Shean 10 00:00:51,531 --> 00:00:54,651 Speaker 2: was working his usual shift. He was a US customs 11 00:00:54,691 --> 00:00:56,291 Speaker 2: agent at JFK Airport. 12 00:00:57,251 --> 00:00:58,171 Speaker 1: His phone rang. 13 00:01:00,491 --> 00:01:06,171 Speaker 3: I was talking through a customs agent in California who says, hey, 14 00:01:07,450 --> 00:01:10,891 Speaker 3: we just got three shipments of heroin and three different 15 00:01:10,931 --> 00:01:15,131 Speaker 3: bailed parcels. Do you guys want the case? So I 16 00:01:15,131 --> 00:01:16,891 Speaker 3: said absolutely, we'll take it. 17 00:01:18,131 --> 00:01:20,731 Speaker 2: The parcels were on their way from Hong Kong to 18 00:01:20,811 --> 00:01:24,691 Speaker 2: New York. Customs agents were looking inside packages more often 19 00:01:25,211 --> 00:01:28,611 Speaker 2: ever since President Reagan in Congress had ramped up the 20 00:01:28,651 --> 00:01:32,411 Speaker 2: war on drugs. David Chian was part of this special 21 00:01:32,451 --> 00:01:36,131 Speaker 2: task force to combat and narcotic smuggling, so they got 22 00:01:36,171 --> 00:01:38,731 Speaker 2: calls about drugs coming into New York City all the time. 23 00:01:39,971 --> 00:01:43,411 Speaker 2: This call was special, though, because inside each of these 24 00:01:43,451 --> 00:01:49,731 Speaker 2: packages was about seven million dollars worth of heroin. In 25 00:01:49,771 --> 00:01:55,771 Speaker 2: today's money, that's something like eighteen million dollars per package. 26 00:01:55,851 --> 00:01:59,331 Speaker 2: Peter Mattesser was an agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration. 27 00:02:00,171 --> 00:02:02,771 Speaker 2: He really wanted to know who was waiting for those boxes. 28 00:02:04,451 --> 00:02:05,771 Speaker 4: I know it was going to be a big case 29 00:02:05,771 --> 00:02:08,451 Speaker 4: because there was a lot of heroin and the focus 30 00:02:08,571 --> 00:02:10,851 Speaker 4: was on China white heroin at the time, because a 31 00:02:10,891 --> 00:02:13,371 Speaker 4: lot was coming into New York. A lot heroin was 32 00:02:13,370 --> 00:02:16,491 Speaker 4: coming in from China to Hong Kong then into New York, 33 00:02:17,691 --> 00:02:21,171 Speaker 4: and it sounded like a good opportunity to work a 34 00:02:21,171 --> 00:02:21,691 Speaker 4: big case. 35 00:02:23,291 --> 00:02:28,131 Speaker 2: On February seventeenth, the boxes arrived at the airport. Peter 36 00:02:28,211 --> 00:02:30,411 Speaker 2: and David knew they were at the beginning of something big, 37 00:02:31,011 --> 00:02:45,611 Speaker 2: but they didn't know how big. My name is Liddy 38 00:02:45,691 --> 00:02:49,251 Speaker 2: Jin Kott. As a journalist, I often report on law 39 00:02:49,331 --> 00:02:52,851 Speaker 2: and power. I've written an audiobook about the Supreme Court, 40 00:02:53,171 --> 00:02:56,810 Speaker 2: covered the federal trial of the crypto Billionaire, and investigated 41 00:02:56,851 --> 00:03:00,770 Speaker 2: the fallout of the legalization of sports bedding. I'm interested 42 00:03:00,811 --> 00:03:04,011 Speaker 2: in how throughout American history we've used the law as 43 00:03:04,011 --> 00:03:07,051 Speaker 2: a tool to make our country both more and less. 44 00:03:07,251 --> 00:03:11,531 Speaker 2: Just a few years I came into possession of a suitcase. 45 00:03:12,131 --> 00:03:15,770 Speaker 2: It was full of thousands of pages of court documents. 46 00:03:16,171 --> 00:03:18,891 Speaker 2: They were all about a case a prosecutor spent years 47 00:03:18,931 --> 00:03:22,211 Speaker 2: trying to build against a criminal who refused to be caught. 48 00:03:23,611 --> 00:03:26,611 Speaker 2: There was mention of a criminal syndicate powerful enough to 49 00:03:26,651 --> 00:03:31,571 Speaker 2: take on the Italian mafia, an attempted assassination, a global manhunt, 50 00:03:32,131 --> 00:03:36,971 Speaker 2: congressional hearings, international press coverage, a standing room only trial. 51 00:03:37,811 --> 00:03:39,851 Speaker 2: And none of it would have happened without a group 52 00:03:39,931 --> 00:03:43,731 Speaker 2: of ordinary people, people who in time would have to 53 00:03:43,731 --> 00:03:48,771 Speaker 2: make a decision about who to protect and who to betray. 54 00:03:49,531 --> 00:03:52,731 Speaker 2: But that afternoon in nineteen eighty eight, one of these 55 00:03:52,771 --> 00:03:53,891 Speaker 2: people was just. 56 00:03:53,851 --> 00:03:55,011 Speaker 1: Waiting for a box. 57 00:03:59,771 --> 00:04:14,291 Speaker 2: This is the Chinatown Staying, Episode one Lucky Bird. Court 58 00:04:14,331 --> 00:04:17,811 Speaker 2: documents would later describe the exact contents of each box 59 00:04:17,851 --> 00:04:21,690 Speaker 2: that landed in New York, twenty small bricks made up 60 00:04:21,731 --> 00:04:24,931 Speaker 2: of white compressed powder, wrapped up in either brown tape 61 00:04:25,130 --> 00:04:28,811 Speaker 2: or duct tape. In one of the packages, the heroin 62 00:04:28,891 --> 00:04:31,570 Speaker 2: was hidden inside these red and white tea boxes that 63 00:04:31,651 --> 00:04:34,890 Speaker 2: had Chinese characters on them, and the other two. The 64 00:04:34,931 --> 00:04:40,570 Speaker 2: heroin was hidden among stuffed animals. Now Peter Mtesser and 65 00:04:40,651 --> 00:04:45,371 Speaker 2: the DA could get to work. Step one, take out 66 00:04:45,411 --> 00:04:48,811 Speaker 2: the heroin and replace it with decoy heroin. It was 67 00:04:48,851 --> 00:04:51,731 Speaker 2: made out of wooden blocks, cut and tape together. 68 00:04:51,851 --> 00:04:54,090 Speaker 4: Except you leave a sample of the heroin in there. 69 00:04:54,491 --> 00:04:59,811 Speaker 4: We'd put the stuffed animals back in. Our goal was 70 00:04:59,851 --> 00:05:02,611 Speaker 4: to get someone opening up that box and going through it. 71 00:05:02,731 --> 00:05:03,531 Speaker 5: That was our goal. 72 00:05:04,331 --> 00:05:06,971 Speaker 2: So when someone on the receiving end lived inside the boxes, 73 00:05:06,971 --> 00:05:08,291 Speaker 2: they should notice nothing weird. 74 00:05:09,411 --> 00:05:09,891 Speaker 1: Step two. 75 00:05:10,571 --> 00:05:14,171 Speaker 2: The Feds hid thin wires in a transmitter inside each box. 76 00:05:14,651 --> 00:05:17,051 Speaker 2: Whoever was looking through the box would break the wires 77 00:05:17,411 --> 00:05:20,331 Speaker 2: and that would trigger a silent electric signal that would 78 00:05:20,331 --> 00:05:22,811 Speaker 2: be picked up by these special machines in the hands 79 00:05:22,811 --> 00:05:26,450 Speaker 2: of law enforcement. And this receiver had only two signals. 80 00:05:26,931 --> 00:05:30,690 Speaker 4: It was a slow beep you're listening in to like 81 00:05:30,731 --> 00:05:33,650 Speaker 4: a computer almost and you hear the beat beat beeping 82 00:05:33,731 --> 00:05:37,291 Speaker 4: in When a rapid beap goes beppp beat, that means 83 00:05:37,291 --> 00:05:37,890 Speaker 4: it's been open. 84 00:05:39,251 --> 00:05:42,010 Speaker 2: The dagents set up their trap as fast as they could. 85 00:05:42,451 --> 00:05:44,251 Speaker 2: They didn't want the people who were waiting for the 86 00:05:44,291 --> 00:05:46,051 Speaker 2: packages to get suspicious. 87 00:05:46,811 --> 00:05:48,971 Speaker 4: They know how long it takes from point A to 88 00:05:49,011 --> 00:05:51,011 Speaker 4: point B, so as soon as you get a day 89 00:05:51,091 --> 00:05:56,371 Speaker 4: or two late, you're investiation could be compromised. 90 00:05:57,571 --> 00:06:00,811 Speaker 2: Step three. Each of these boxes had to be dropped 91 00:06:00,851 --> 00:06:03,770 Speaker 2: off at exactly the same time they were to be 92 00:06:03,811 --> 00:06:08,091 Speaker 2: delivered by postal inspectors who were working undercover. Vans full 93 00:06:08,131 --> 00:06:11,291 Speaker 2: of agents were waiting nearby, listening in on their little 94 00:06:11,291 --> 00:06:13,450 Speaker 2: computers and ready to spring into action. 95 00:06:14,131 --> 00:06:15,971 Speaker 4: You have to cover all the different parts of the 96 00:06:16,051 --> 00:06:18,571 Speaker 4: locations because if someone takes the box and runs out 97 00:06:18,571 --> 00:06:21,051 Speaker 4: the door, then we have Heroin on the street. 98 00:06:23,291 --> 00:06:27,291 Speaker 2: On February twenty third, the mail packages, the vans full 99 00:06:27,331 --> 00:06:31,051 Speaker 2: of agents, and the undercover postal workers, they were all 100 00:06:31,171 --> 00:06:34,491 Speaker 2: ready to go. Two of the packages were addressed to 101 00:06:34,531 --> 00:06:38,651 Speaker 2: Manhattan's Chinatown and one was going to Brooklyn. Peter and 102 00:06:38,690 --> 00:06:41,931 Speaker 2: the customs agent David Shan followed the two packages that 103 00:06:41,971 --> 00:06:43,051 Speaker 2: were going to Chinatown. 104 00:06:43,571 --> 00:06:48,130 Speaker 4: The thrill of the chase really becomes just it sort 105 00:06:48,131 --> 00:06:48,931 Speaker 4: of takes you over. 106 00:06:51,491 --> 00:06:54,690 Speaker 2: That day, like on any other day, Chinatown was bustling. 107 00:06:55,690 --> 00:06:59,770 Speaker 2: The sidewalks were crowded with vendors selling cucumbers, eggplants, bockjoy, 108 00:07:00,251 --> 00:07:03,611 Speaker 2: dried mushrooms. People were walking shoulder to shoulder. 109 00:07:03,651 --> 00:07:04,531 Speaker 1: On the main streets. 110 00:07:05,411 --> 00:07:08,091 Speaker 2: There are neilon signs everywhere saying go this way or 111 00:07:08,131 --> 00:07:11,611 Speaker 2: go that way. And there was always a truck somewhere 112 00:07:11,651 --> 00:07:15,051 Speaker 2: squeezing its way down these narrow streets full of fresh wares. 113 00:07:16,131 --> 00:07:18,771 Speaker 2: That's all to say, Chinatown wasn't an easy place to 114 00:07:18,811 --> 00:07:22,251 Speaker 2: find parking, especially not for a van full of non 115 00:07:22,291 --> 00:07:24,811 Speaker 2: Asian undercover federal agents. 116 00:07:25,611 --> 00:07:28,971 Speaker 3: We were underneath the highway in the hend the East 117 00:07:29,051 --> 00:07:32,731 Speaker 3: River Drive War and that's where we had thirty agents 118 00:07:33,131 --> 00:07:36,891 Speaker 3: all lined up ready to go with shotguns and rifles 119 00:07:36,891 --> 00:07:37,691 Speaker 3: and un davy. 120 00:07:38,931 --> 00:07:42,411 Speaker 2: There were two wired up packages addressed to two apartment 121 00:07:42,411 --> 00:07:46,251 Speaker 2: buildings right next to each other. So the undercover postal 122 00:07:46,251 --> 00:07:49,571 Speaker 2: inspector buzzed at one address and then he buzzed at 123 00:07:49,611 --> 00:07:55,251 Speaker 2: the other. No answer, he left behind mail slips. Peter 124 00:07:55,331 --> 00:07:58,491 Speaker 2: and David waited to see what would happen next, and 125 00:07:59,211 --> 00:07:59,971 Speaker 2: waited some more. 126 00:08:01,691 --> 00:08:04,491 Speaker 3: One of the guys from DA took a leak in 127 00:08:04,571 --> 00:08:08,331 Speaker 3: the East River, and believe it or not, two sanitation 128 00:08:08,491 --> 00:08:10,891 Speaker 3: police guys ca him up to him and said, hey, 129 00:08:12,251 --> 00:08:13,291 Speaker 3: you can't pee in the river. 130 00:08:15,251 --> 00:08:17,691 Speaker 2: David Shean could feel his hopes of catching anyone in 131 00:08:17,771 --> 00:08:22,011 Speaker 2: Chinatown pissing away to nobody was coming to collect the packages, 132 00:08:22,251 --> 00:08:24,530 Speaker 2: even though their street value was supposed to be huge. 133 00:08:25,131 --> 00:08:29,291 Speaker 2: Maybe someone had tipped them off. The whole operation now 134 00:08:29,371 --> 00:08:32,131 Speaker 2: hinged on the third box, the one that was going 135 00:08:32,131 --> 00:08:36,011 Speaker 2: to Brooklyn. We heard the beep go off. Peter Mattessa 136 00:08:36,170 --> 00:08:38,931 Speaker 2: rushed over to the Brooklyn address to meet the agents. 137 00:08:38,971 --> 00:08:39,211 Speaker 6: There. 138 00:08:39,810 --> 00:08:41,970 Speaker 4: We knocked on the door or broke down the door. 139 00:08:42,050 --> 00:08:44,330 Speaker 4: There's the package open. The stuffed animals were out. 140 00:08:45,210 --> 00:08:48,011 Speaker 2: Peter found himself face to face with a thirty eight 141 00:08:48,050 --> 00:08:51,130 Speaker 2: year old woman, a mother of two, an accountant at 142 00:08:51,131 --> 00:08:56,170 Speaker 2: a bank. Peter explained she was under arrest. 143 00:08:56,731 --> 00:09:01,891 Speaker 4: Read her rights, you know in Cantonese, amandarin. I forgot 144 00:09:01,891 --> 00:09:05,011 Speaker 4: exactly which one it was. She was very upset, crying, 145 00:09:06,491 --> 00:09:10,530 Speaker 4: and your goal is to try to calm the situation 146 00:09:10,651 --> 00:09:13,931 Speaker 4: down as soon as you can and then hopefully move 147 00:09:14,011 --> 00:09:14,611 Speaker 4: up the ladder. 148 00:09:17,330 --> 00:09:20,690 Speaker 2: By move up the ladder, Peter means this woman might 149 00:09:20,731 --> 00:09:23,651 Speaker 2: have information that would help the FEDS figure out who's 150 00:09:23,690 --> 00:09:26,771 Speaker 2: in charge of importing the heroin. The first rung of 151 00:09:26,771 --> 00:09:30,690 Speaker 2: the ladder was right here in this house. Peter needed 152 00:09:30,690 --> 00:09:33,891 Speaker 2: to know the box's next destination, and to find that out, 153 00:09:34,251 --> 00:09:38,131 Speaker 2: he needed this woman to act totally normal. She needed 154 00:09:38,170 --> 00:09:40,371 Speaker 2: to call whoever she was going to call after the 155 00:09:40,410 --> 00:09:43,050 Speaker 2: box's arrival. They needed her to go from being an 156 00:09:43,050 --> 00:09:46,251 Speaker 2: accomplice to being a cooperating witness quickly. 157 00:09:47,050 --> 00:09:50,491 Speaker 4: I tell her the man of heroin here, you're facing 158 00:09:50,970 --> 00:09:53,891 Speaker 4: ten years to life because it's so much Harwin. This 159 00:09:54,050 --> 00:09:57,011 Speaker 4: is your time to help out yourself. We can't guarantee 160 00:09:57,011 --> 00:09:58,851 Speaker 4: you how much jail time you do, but it'll be 161 00:09:58,930 --> 00:10:02,970 Speaker 4: brought to the attention of the judges. Will know how 162 00:10:03,210 --> 00:10:05,211 Speaker 4: much you've helped out in this case. And it's a 163 00:10:05,251 --> 00:10:08,731 Speaker 4: courageous decision to make. We try to tell them we 164 00:10:08,731 --> 00:10:12,251 Speaker 4: think it's the right to make. To help us, then 165 00:10:12,330 --> 00:10:12,851 Speaker 4: we help you. 166 00:10:14,530 --> 00:10:16,811 Speaker 2: But the person this woman was going to call was 167 00:10:16,851 --> 00:10:21,371 Speaker 2: her friend. If she cooperated, that would mean betraying her friend. 168 00:10:21,970 --> 00:10:24,731 Speaker 2: But if she didn't cooperate, she might not see her 169 00:10:24,731 --> 00:10:27,810 Speaker 2: two children grow up. She had to make an impossible 170 00:10:27,851 --> 00:10:31,611 Speaker 2: decision as the agents hovered over her the clock was ticking. 171 00:10:35,611 --> 00:10:37,971 Speaker 2: This woman agreed to cooperate. Her name is in the 172 00:10:38,011 --> 00:10:40,690 Speaker 2: court documents, but she never responded to her request for 173 00:10:40,731 --> 00:10:44,451 Speaker 2: an interview. Anyway, her name's not that important to the story. 174 00:10:44,851 --> 00:10:47,610 Speaker 2: What's important is the chain of events she set off 175 00:10:47,690 --> 00:10:51,050 Speaker 2: by giving the federal agents the name of her contact. 176 00:10:53,011 --> 00:10:56,091 Speaker 2: Over the next few days, agents were arresting moms like 177 00:10:56,131 --> 00:10:57,971 Speaker 2: her all over in New York City. 178 00:10:58,810 --> 00:11:01,370 Speaker 4: It was like the first time we've ever seen anything 179 00:11:01,450 --> 00:11:04,730 Speaker 4: like that. Really, basically your stay at home moms were 180 00:11:04,771 --> 00:11:07,651 Speaker 4: picking up these you know, these lodge of matsa heroin 181 00:11:07,851 --> 00:11:10,370 Speaker 4: and I'm sure I knew it was drugs. 182 00:11:11,371 --> 00:11:13,611 Speaker 2: It turned out that all of these women, women who 183 00:11:13,651 --> 00:11:16,490 Speaker 2: received packages of heroin sent to their homes, all to 184 00:11:16,570 --> 00:11:21,371 Speaker 2: each other from playing mahjong. Mahjong is a game of 185 00:11:21,491 --> 00:11:24,611 Speaker 2: luck and skill. You play with domino like tiles instead 186 00:11:24,611 --> 00:11:29,690 Speaker 2: of with cards. They have different designs on them, stones, bamboos, dragons, 187 00:11:30,210 --> 00:11:32,490 Speaker 2: and the goal is to end up with four pairs 188 00:11:32,530 --> 00:11:35,851 Speaker 2: of three tiles and one pair of two tiles. That's 189 00:11:35,851 --> 00:11:39,570 Speaker 2: called the eyes. Different hands are with different amounts of points. 190 00:11:40,131 --> 00:11:43,570 Speaker 2: There were majong parlors all over Chinatown. These are places 191 00:11:43,570 --> 00:11:45,530 Speaker 2: where people could play for a bit of money or 192 00:11:45,570 --> 00:11:48,410 Speaker 2: a lot of money. The parlors were a place to 193 00:11:48,450 --> 00:11:51,771 Speaker 2: catch up with old friends and make new ones. But 194 00:11:51,891 --> 00:11:55,690 Speaker 2: now many of these friends were under arrest and they 195 00:11:55,690 --> 00:12:01,011 Speaker 2: were being forced to turn on one another. Customs agent 196 00:12:01,131 --> 00:12:03,771 Speaker 2: David Shechan was doing a lot of that forcing. 197 00:12:04,410 --> 00:12:07,330 Speaker 3: We're going to seize all your assets, We're gonna take 198 00:12:07,330 --> 00:12:09,450 Speaker 3: all your kids away from you, and you're gonna go 199 00:12:09,570 --> 00:12:12,810 Speaker 3: to jail, and they're going to go to Forster care 200 00:12:13,131 --> 00:12:15,491 Speaker 3: and things of that nature. 201 00:12:15,570 --> 00:12:18,330 Speaker 2: You know you're doing that because you really need their 202 00:12:18,930 --> 00:12:20,410 Speaker 2: help to get to the person at the top. 203 00:12:20,450 --> 00:12:23,691 Speaker 3: I guess absolutely, Yeah, you need somebody, and you know 204 00:12:23,810 --> 00:12:26,050 Speaker 3: you need more than one person to cooperate. 205 00:12:25,810 --> 00:12:27,330 Speaker 1: Because you need it to be cooperated. 206 00:12:27,611 --> 00:12:27,891 Speaker 7: Yes. 207 00:12:33,651 --> 00:12:35,731 Speaker 2: After I got that suitcase full of court documents on 208 00:12:35,771 --> 00:12:38,771 Speaker 2: the Chinatown drug trials, I realized I need help from 209 00:12:38,771 --> 00:12:42,131 Speaker 2: someone who spoke Cantonese. That's the language that's spoken by 210 00:12:42,131 --> 00:12:43,890 Speaker 2: many of the people in the documents. 211 00:12:45,450 --> 00:12:48,211 Speaker 6: My name is Shu Yu Wang. I'm a practicing attorney 212 00:12:48,290 --> 00:12:49,570 Speaker 6: in the city in New York. 213 00:12:50,651 --> 00:12:52,651 Speaker 2: I met she Used through a friend of a friend. 214 00:12:53,371 --> 00:12:54,971 Speaker 2: We met up at a bar and I told her 215 00:12:55,050 --> 00:12:56,450 Speaker 2: all about the Chinatown case. 216 00:12:57,410 --> 00:13:00,771 Speaker 6: It was a very interesting story to me personally. I 217 00:13:00,810 --> 00:13:03,811 Speaker 6: came from the Cantonese area in China, which is like 218 00:13:03,891 --> 00:13:06,410 Speaker 6: super close to Hong Kong, where a lot of those 219 00:13:06,450 --> 00:13:10,410 Speaker 6: people in the story were originally from. My major in 220 00:13:10,450 --> 00:13:13,651 Speaker 6: college was actually journalism, so that sort of like opened 221 00:13:13,731 --> 00:13:14,850 Speaker 6: up a part of my brain. 222 00:13:15,970 --> 00:13:18,810 Speaker 2: So she joined me in reporting out this story. We 223 00:13:18,851 --> 00:13:22,450 Speaker 2: went over court documents together, and we visited Chinatown together 224 00:13:22,731 --> 00:13:23,370 Speaker 2: for months and. 225 00:13:23,371 --> 00:13:25,891 Speaker 1: Months loss. 226 00:13:30,651 --> 00:13:31,170 Speaker 4: Podcast. 227 00:13:31,611 --> 00:13:32,970 Speaker 8: Yeah, that's that. 228 00:13:35,251 --> 00:13:37,050 Speaker 2: For most of the time that I've lived in New York, 229 00:13:37,530 --> 00:13:40,251 Speaker 2: Chinatown's been a place where I'd get dinner or drinks 230 00:13:40,251 --> 00:13:41,050 Speaker 2: with friends. 231 00:13:41,570 --> 00:13:44,330 Speaker 1: For sure, you was a neighborhood where she got groceries. 232 00:13:45,491 --> 00:13:48,610 Speaker 6: You are certain ingredients that's a rare fine in a 233 00:13:48,690 --> 00:13:52,971 Speaker 6: non Chinese grocery stores, like chicken feet. There are like 234 00:13:53,011 --> 00:13:55,851 Speaker 6: certain things that I can only get here at a 235 00:13:55,891 --> 00:13:56,451 Speaker 6: good price. 236 00:14:01,330 --> 00:14:03,651 Speaker 2: But we've been learning that Chinatown's a place with one 237 00:14:03,731 --> 00:14:05,251 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty years of history. 238 00:14:05,970 --> 00:14:09,371 Speaker 7: So Chinatown's today we think of as these tryst destiny, 239 00:14:09,930 --> 00:14:12,011 Speaker 7: and you know, they're fun places to go to get 240 00:14:12,530 --> 00:14:15,570 Speaker 7: you know, trash keys or jim sum and have kind 241 00:14:15,570 --> 00:14:18,371 Speaker 7: of a colorful urban experience or you know, a fun 242 00:14:18,491 --> 00:14:23,371 Speaker 7: meal or something. But the reason Chinatowns exist in the 243 00:14:23,411 --> 00:14:27,651 Speaker 7: first place is really about a history of racial segregation. 244 00:14:28,931 --> 00:14:29,691 Speaker 1: That's Ellen Wu. 245 00:14:30,291 --> 00:14:34,131 Speaker 2: She teaches history at Indiana University, Bloomington, and she talked 246 00:14:34,131 --> 00:14:37,251 Speaker 2: to us about how Chinatowns arose in American cities in 247 00:14:37,291 --> 00:14:42,491 Speaker 2: the face of anti Asian laws and violence. US immigration 248 00:14:42,571 --> 00:14:46,331 Speaker 2: laws also helped create chinatowns, especially a law called the 249 00:14:46,451 --> 00:14:51,370 Speaker 2: Chinese Exclusion Act, which passed in eighteen eighty two. Another 250 00:14:51,491 --> 00:14:54,850 Speaker 2: historian We spoke to is Michael Luo. She's an editor 251 00:14:54,851 --> 00:14:57,011 Speaker 2: at The New Yorker, and he wrote a book on 252 00:14:57,090 --> 00:14:59,891 Speaker 2: Chinese immigration called Strangers in the Land. 253 00:15:00,371 --> 00:15:03,610 Speaker 9: It was the Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Stephen Field, 254 00:15:03,651 --> 00:15:07,531 Speaker 9: who wrote the opinion, referred to the Chinese as strangers 255 00:15:07,611 --> 00:15:10,611 Speaker 9: in the land, talking about how how they could never 256 00:15:10,811 --> 00:15:15,130 Speaker 9: assimilate with our people, and I feel like the stranger 257 00:15:15,291 --> 00:15:22,130 Speaker 9: label remains imprinted on Asian Americans today. 258 00:15:22,251 --> 00:15:25,691 Speaker 2: She says she's felt what Michael Lewe was describing, especially 259 00:15:25,731 --> 00:15:28,251 Speaker 2: when she first moved to the US for law school. 260 00:15:29,171 --> 00:15:31,971 Speaker 6: So it was kind of like surprised at how friendly 261 00:15:32,731 --> 00:15:36,051 Speaker 6: people were surrounding me. But also to that I'm sensing, 262 00:15:36,131 --> 00:15:38,171 Speaker 6: like your people out there just kind of like, oh, 263 00:15:38,210 --> 00:15:41,250 Speaker 6: you're different, and you can tell by their gestures, by 264 00:15:41,291 --> 00:15:43,771 Speaker 6: their like facial expressions, things like that. 265 00:15:46,531 --> 00:15:49,611 Speaker 2: As a white person, I've never experienced that, but I 266 00:15:49,691 --> 00:15:51,771 Speaker 2: do know how bad it feels to be viewed as 267 00:15:51,771 --> 00:15:55,171 Speaker 2: a stranger. My family moved to the US from Poland 268 00:15:55,210 --> 00:15:58,291 Speaker 2: when I was eight. My English was kind of weird, 269 00:15:58,731 --> 00:16:01,531 Speaker 2: but I wanted to fit in so badly. When I 270 00:16:01,571 --> 00:16:04,171 Speaker 2: look at pictures of myself, it's embarrassing. I was like 271 00:16:04,210 --> 00:16:06,370 Speaker 2: a parody of what I thought an American kid was 272 00:16:06,371 --> 00:16:09,691 Speaker 2: supposed to look like. And the more she You and 273 00:16:09,731 --> 00:16:12,730 Speaker 2: I looked into this Chinatown case from where we came 274 00:16:12,731 --> 00:16:14,731 Speaker 2: to see that it's also about someone who was trying, 275 00:16:15,330 --> 00:16:18,371 Speaker 2: in their own way to feel like they belonged. 276 00:16:37,251 --> 00:16:41,091 Speaker 10: Whong Tina date of birth nineteen fifty eight in New York, 277 00:16:41,171 --> 00:16:47,131 Speaker 10: New York, Chinese female citizen US height five foot nine inches, 278 00:16:47,491 --> 00:16:51,251 Speaker 10: weight one hundred and twenty pounds, brown eyes, black hair. 279 00:16:52,970 --> 00:16:54,730 Speaker 2: As sure you and I went through that suitcase full 280 00:16:54,731 --> 00:16:57,491 Speaker 2: of documents together, we kept coming across the name of 281 00:16:57,531 --> 00:17:01,811 Speaker 2: one woman sometimes called Tina Wong, sometimes called Tina. 282 00:17:01,851 --> 00:17:06,731 Speaker 10: A'll say in or about in between early August nineteen 283 00:17:06,771 --> 00:17:10,291 Speaker 10: eighty seven and late this summer nineteen eighty seven, within 284 00:17:10,330 --> 00:17:13,731 Speaker 10: the Eastern District of New York and elsewhere, the defendant 285 00:17:14,091 --> 00:17:18,131 Speaker 10: Tina Asse did knowingly and willfully import into the United 286 00:17:18,131 --> 00:17:21,610 Speaker 10: States from a place outside there of a quantity of 287 00:17:21,731 --> 00:17:25,411 Speaker 10: heroin a Schedule one narcotic drug controlled substance. 288 00:17:27,731 --> 00:17:32,531 Speaker 2: So this is a complaint against Tina. Asse what situation 289 00:17:32,731 --> 00:17:35,051 Speaker 2: is Tina in if they have this information? 290 00:17:36,091 --> 00:17:38,731 Speaker 6: So like, first of all, it got an informant which 291 00:17:38,771 --> 00:17:42,491 Speaker 6: said I delivered the packages to Dina, and I'm just 292 00:17:42,811 --> 00:17:45,291 Speaker 6: quite interested in the last paragraph when they said that 293 00:17:45,331 --> 00:17:49,731 Speaker 6: they had a recording between informant and the ultimate recipient 294 00:17:49,811 --> 00:17:52,491 Speaker 6: of the drugs. Tina is kind of like a middleman, 295 00:17:53,171 --> 00:17:56,171 Speaker 6: just like someone caught in between who gave her the 296 00:17:56,211 --> 00:18:00,211 Speaker 6: package and who she was supposed to give the packages to. 297 00:18:00,931 --> 00:18:02,091 Speaker 11: And apparently the. 298 00:18:01,971 --> 00:18:06,771 Speaker 6: Prosecution had information from both ends, so Tina was kind 299 00:18:06,771 --> 00:18:09,251 Speaker 6: of trapped in a situation like she can't get away 300 00:18:09,291 --> 00:18:09,571 Speaker 6: with that. 301 00:18:10,891 --> 00:18:14,171 Speaker 2: At first, Tina just seemed like another low level drug smuggler. 302 00:18:14,651 --> 00:18:16,651 Speaker 2: She was one of about a half a dozen people 303 00:18:16,851 --> 00:18:20,251 Speaker 2: federal authorities arrested. This was after that at Countant in 304 00:18:20,251 --> 00:18:23,131 Speaker 2: Brooklyn got caught with that wired up package, setting this 305 00:18:23,211 --> 00:18:26,451 Speaker 2: whole investigation off. But as she you and I went 306 00:18:26,451 --> 00:18:29,251 Speaker 2: through the court documents, it started to look like Tina 307 00:18:29,411 --> 00:18:32,171 Speaker 2: was actually at the absolute center of the government's case. 308 00:18:33,011 --> 00:18:37,571 Speaker 2: Without her, everything might have played out entirely differently. She 309 00:18:37,651 --> 00:18:40,571 Speaker 2: and I were desperate to talk to Tina. She, like 310 00:18:40,611 --> 00:18:43,330 Speaker 2: all the women who received mail packages, had never spoken 311 00:18:43,411 --> 00:18:46,251 Speaker 2: to a reporter before about this time. But I found 312 00:18:46,331 --> 00:18:48,851 Speaker 2: what I thought was her address. It was in Manhattan, 313 00:18:49,331 --> 00:18:53,011 Speaker 2: and we rang her bell twice three times. 314 00:18:53,371 --> 00:18:54,211 Speaker 1: She was never home. 315 00:18:55,611 --> 00:18:58,251 Speaker 2: Then we showed up with a box of Italian cookies 316 00:18:58,571 --> 00:19:01,011 Speaker 2: that we had picked up from a bakery nearby. I 317 00:19:01,051 --> 00:19:02,971 Speaker 2: know that sounds weird, but I thought it would seem 318 00:19:03,011 --> 00:19:05,291 Speaker 2: friendlier than showing up with just a microphone. 319 00:19:05,851 --> 00:19:07,251 Speaker 11: It was a brick apartment building. 320 00:19:07,371 --> 00:19:10,411 Speaker 6: Yeah, we entered a building, not knowing if Tina is 321 00:19:10,491 --> 00:19:13,211 Speaker 6: in this room this time, but we went up to 322 00:19:13,531 --> 00:19:14,771 Speaker 6: her floor, went to. 323 00:19:14,851 --> 00:19:17,931 Speaker 2: Her door, the door opened, this woman was standing there 324 00:19:18,491 --> 00:19:19,491 Speaker 2: and I said nothing. 325 00:19:20,011 --> 00:19:22,491 Speaker 11: Yeah, I think I was the one who broke this silence. Right, 326 00:19:22,771 --> 00:19:25,571 Speaker 11: So where the journal is stacking here? So I just 327 00:19:25,611 --> 00:19:29,691 Speaker 11: wondered that if we can have Sai about this project. 328 00:19:31,331 --> 00:19:31,531 Speaker 12: Check. 329 00:19:32,731 --> 00:19:36,090 Speaker 2: She's like, yeah, come on in, and whoever your impressions 330 00:19:36,091 --> 00:19:36,371 Speaker 2: of her? 331 00:19:38,051 --> 00:19:42,651 Speaker 6: She looked cool, She's got short haircut, and she's got 332 00:19:42,651 --> 00:19:45,651 Speaker 6: super thick eyeliners. 333 00:19:45,651 --> 00:19:47,531 Speaker 2: I would say, yeah, she had like black eyeliner. 334 00:19:47,811 --> 00:19:51,451 Speaker 6: And also she looks totally unbothered even though we're clearly 335 00:19:51,491 --> 00:19:55,731 Speaker 6: bothering her in her family. She's kind of like, well, Okay, 336 00:19:55,851 --> 00:19:58,051 Speaker 6: they've been bugging me for long enough, let's just see 337 00:19:58,051 --> 00:19:58,931 Speaker 6: what they have to offer. 338 00:19:59,531 --> 00:20:00,811 Speaker 1: What do you remember about the apartment? 339 00:20:01,731 --> 00:20:06,811 Speaker 6: So it's very homey, I would say. And there's a 340 00:20:06,971 --> 00:20:10,571 Speaker 6: huge cage in the center of the living room, and 341 00:20:10,691 --> 00:20:12,531 Speaker 6: that might be one of the very first things that 342 00:20:12,531 --> 00:20:14,091 Speaker 6: you would notice once you stepped in. 343 00:20:14,291 --> 00:20:16,931 Speaker 2: It was an African gray parrot inside. I think the 344 00:20:16,971 --> 00:20:20,051 Speaker 2: first thing I said, right was tell me about your parrot. 345 00:20:20,331 --> 00:20:24,451 Speaker 5: Oh that's a lucky bird. And I had him full. 346 00:20:25,811 --> 00:20:28,571 Speaker 1: Like twenty five years es he said something. I want 347 00:20:28,611 --> 00:20:29,171 Speaker 1: to record it. 348 00:20:30,451 --> 00:20:32,691 Speaker 13: He knows a stranger, so you won't talk, but if 349 00:20:32,691 --> 00:20:34,291 Speaker 13: he gets to know, he starts to talk. 350 00:20:36,331 --> 00:20:39,330 Speaker 2: We weren't actually there to interview the parrot. We wanted 351 00:20:39,411 --> 00:20:41,811 Speaker 2: Tina's story. 352 00:20:42,011 --> 00:20:43,571 Speaker 1: She was born in the nineteen fifties. 353 00:20:44,091 --> 00:20:46,931 Speaker 2: She was living outside of Chinatown at a time when 354 00:20:46,971 --> 00:20:49,411 Speaker 2: Chinatown was way smaller. She was one of the few 355 00:20:49,491 --> 00:20:54,411 Speaker 2: Chinese kids. Her dad was Chinese and her mom was 356 00:20:54,411 --> 00:20:55,971 Speaker 2: from was Portuguese. 357 00:20:56,091 --> 00:20:59,851 Speaker 13: Yeah, yeah, yeah, we were like the first Chinese family. 358 00:20:59,851 --> 00:21:03,610 Speaker 5: I mean not the first, but the few. We used 359 00:21:03,651 --> 00:21:05,811 Speaker 5: to fight. We used to get picked on a lot. 360 00:21:06,171 --> 00:21:08,771 Speaker 13: Everybody that was Asian used to get picked on one 361 00:21:08,771 --> 00:21:12,771 Speaker 13: time or another a stupid kid's stuff like ching chong, 362 00:21:13,211 --> 00:21:15,731 Speaker 13: and then you know, you fight back. 363 00:21:17,451 --> 00:21:20,651 Speaker 2: It's weird now to think of a Chinatown without kids, 364 00:21:20,971 --> 00:21:23,371 Speaker 2: but for a long time, there just weren't very many 365 00:21:23,451 --> 00:21:27,331 Speaker 2: Chinese kids in the US period, the Chinese Exclusion Act 366 00:21:27,371 --> 00:21:29,971 Speaker 2: made it hard for any new Chinese immigrants to come, 367 00:21:30,331 --> 00:21:33,291 Speaker 2: and it took nearly a century until nineteen sixty five 368 00:21:33,731 --> 00:21:37,370 Speaker 2: for Congress to finally ban immigration quotas based on ethnicity. 369 00:21:38,451 --> 00:21:40,451 Speaker 2: Tina was seven years old at the time when all 370 00:21:40,451 --> 00:21:43,691 Speaker 2: these new Chinese immigrants started to show up and Chinatown 371 00:21:43,771 --> 00:21:47,011 Speaker 2: was becoming a family neighborhood. Tina talked about how it 372 00:21:47,051 --> 00:21:49,491 Speaker 2: was so great to be included in this new world 373 00:21:49,811 --> 00:21:53,251 Speaker 2: of all these kids her age, but still she felt 374 00:21:53,251 --> 00:21:54,851 Speaker 2: a little different from them. 375 00:21:55,291 --> 00:21:57,451 Speaker 13: I think they were kind of little racist on me 376 00:21:57,691 --> 00:22:02,611 Speaker 13: since I wasn't, you know, like because I'm only half Chinese. Yeah, 377 00:22:02,651 --> 00:22:08,891 Speaker 13: there was a little racism there, but that didn't stop me. Yeah, 378 00:22:08,971 --> 00:22:15,651 Speaker 13: so that's why I learned MJ Mahjong. And you know, 379 00:22:17,291 --> 00:22:20,851 Speaker 13: when I would play MJ with them and I beat them, then. 380 00:22:20,771 --> 00:22:23,331 Speaker 5: I feel they go, Yeah, the joke sing. 381 00:22:24,811 --> 00:22:28,611 Speaker 2: It's pretty good and joke saying is someone who who's 382 00:22:28,611 --> 00:22:29,731 Speaker 2: American born Chinese. 383 00:22:29,931 --> 00:22:31,811 Speaker 8: Yeah. 384 00:22:31,851 --> 00:22:35,211 Speaker 2: As an adult, Tina kept playing majong. She went to 385 00:22:35,251 --> 00:22:38,451 Speaker 2: these special places that were kind of like speakeasies. You 386 00:22:38,491 --> 00:22:40,610 Speaker 2: had to know someone who knew about them and then 387 00:22:40,611 --> 00:22:43,610 Speaker 2: they could tell you where they were. Tina's favorite was 388 00:22:43,611 --> 00:22:45,611 Speaker 2: on the second floor of a building on one of 389 00:22:45,731 --> 00:22:48,131 Speaker 2: Chinatown's main streets, Canal Street. 390 00:22:48,531 --> 00:22:57,891 Speaker 13: It's like a Chinese green wallpaint, Uh, smoky and a 391 00:22:57,931 --> 00:22:59,251 Speaker 13: lot of majong noise. 392 00:22:59,811 --> 00:23:01,851 Speaker 2: Is there music playing or is it just people talking 393 00:23:01,891 --> 00:23:03,330 Speaker 2: on the clack of the tiles. 394 00:23:03,731 --> 00:23:05,931 Speaker 13: Yeah, I think it's just the clacking of the tiles. 395 00:23:06,411 --> 00:23:08,611 Speaker 13: People don't want to hear the music that might disturb though. 396 00:23:08,811 --> 00:23:11,851 Speaker 2: The focus and what sort of people were there? 397 00:23:12,411 --> 00:23:15,051 Speaker 5: Oh, people, young people, all kinds? 398 00:23:16,691 --> 00:23:18,171 Speaker 2: And how good did you get on like a scale 399 00:23:18,251 --> 00:23:18,771 Speaker 2: one through ten. 400 00:23:20,051 --> 00:23:23,411 Speaker 5: I didn't have like really good skills, but I had. 401 00:23:23,531 --> 00:23:28,330 Speaker 2: Look, she was hanging out in these majong parlors and 402 00:23:28,371 --> 00:23:31,971 Speaker 2: she was getting lucky. Then her best friend from when 403 00:23:32,011 --> 00:23:34,691 Speaker 2: she was little came up to her and said, you know, 404 00:23:35,451 --> 00:23:38,411 Speaker 2: I have this proposal for you. I was wondering if 405 00:23:38,411 --> 00:23:40,251 Speaker 2: you could receive a package in the mail for me. 406 00:23:41,131 --> 00:23:42,411 Speaker 1: Don't worry about what's in the box. 407 00:23:42,451 --> 00:23:45,731 Speaker 2: Basically, but if you receive this box, it'll be worth 408 00:23:45,731 --> 00:23:46,171 Speaker 2: your while. 409 00:23:48,611 --> 00:23:50,211 Speaker 5: All you gotta do is receive the package. 410 00:23:50,211 --> 00:23:51,890 Speaker 13: Don't have to open it, don't have to do this, 411 00:23:52,611 --> 00:23:54,091 Speaker 13: just accept it and that's it. 412 00:23:58,451 --> 00:23:58,771 Speaker 11: Shoot. 413 00:23:58,771 --> 00:24:01,131 Speaker 2: You do you remember if Tina ever broke the law 414 00:24:01,211 --> 00:24:01,811 Speaker 2: before this. 415 00:24:01,731 --> 00:24:04,571 Speaker 11: Happened, gambling, if that counts. 416 00:24:04,971 --> 00:24:08,011 Speaker 2: Yeah, she got into some fights, I think she said, yeah, 417 00:24:08,011 --> 00:24:10,451 Speaker 2: but like street fights. Yeah, yeah, No, nothing serious. 418 00:24:10,571 --> 00:24:12,850 Speaker 6: She's not like a risk seeker, I would say, like, 419 00:24:12,931 --> 00:24:16,611 Speaker 6: she will never voluntarily invite herself into troubles. I think 420 00:24:16,651 --> 00:24:19,451 Speaker 6: she needed money at a time, just trying to like 421 00:24:19,931 --> 00:24:26,411 Speaker 6: support herself better. It sounded like an easy deal for her. 422 00:24:27,011 --> 00:24:29,611 Speaker 13: We're poor kids, we don't have that kind of money. 423 00:24:29,691 --> 00:24:32,411 Speaker 13: So to have that kind of money, you take a chance. 424 00:24:33,451 --> 00:24:37,571 Speaker 5: And I think a lot of people would probably have 425 00:24:37,611 --> 00:24:38,330 Speaker 5: take the chance. 426 00:24:40,411 --> 00:24:43,251 Speaker 2: So after she you know, told her friend she would 427 00:24:43,251 --> 00:24:45,771 Speaker 2: do it, she waited a few weeks and then her 428 00:24:45,771 --> 00:24:47,611 Speaker 2: friend called her and said, you know, the box is 429 00:24:47,611 --> 00:24:49,651 Speaker 2: going to ride like somewhere in these three days. 430 00:24:49,971 --> 00:24:50,171 Speaker 6: Yeah. 431 00:24:50,211 --> 00:24:52,330 Speaker 13: When it came, I took it home, I put it 432 00:24:52,331 --> 00:24:54,131 Speaker 13: in my room and I put it in the closet 433 00:24:54,251 --> 00:24:55,251 Speaker 13: with my clothes on top. 434 00:24:55,651 --> 00:24:57,131 Speaker 2: And then she called her friend and was like, I 435 00:24:57,171 --> 00:24:57,611 Speaker 2: have the box. 436 00:24:57,651 --> 00:24:58,211 Speaker 1: What should I do? 437 00:24:58,651 --> 00:25:01,051 Speaker 13: They told me to open it. So I opened it 438 00:25:01,851 --> 00:25:04,771 Speaker 13: and there was like Chinese in the box. Think there 439 00:25:04,811 --> 00:25:05,651 Speaker 13: were tea boxes. 440 00:25:06,451 --> 00:25:09,171 Speaker 2: And her friend said, Okay, take one of these tea boxes. 441 00:25:09,491 --> 00:25:12,171 Speaker 2: Bring it to this woman who lived like a seven 442 00:25:12,211 --> 00:25:12,931 Speaker 2: minute walk away. 443 00:25:13,571 --> 00:25:17,491 Speaker 13: I wasn't scared because I didn't really know the magnitude 444 00:25:17,571 --> 00:25:19,051 Speaker 13: of the danger. 445 00:25:19,771 --> 00:25:22,811 Speaker 2: So Tina kept accepting the boxes. Sometimes they came through 446 00:25:22,851 --> 00:25:25,371 Speaker 2: the mail. Sometimes a friend brought them to her apartment 447 00:25:25,651 --> 00:25:26,531 Speaker 2: and she would carry them on. 448 00:25:27,531 --> 00:25:29,291 Speaker 13: I was bringing that one box and it was kind 449 00:25:29,291 --> 00:25:31,451 Speaker 13: of like open, so I like looked at it and 450 00:25:31,491 --> 00:25:35,211 Speaker 13: it was like a like a brick. When I touched 451 00:25:35,211 --> 00:25:37,811 Speaker 13: it was kind of dusty, and I think I went 452 00:25:37,891 --> 00:25:39,531 Speaker 13: like this and it went in my mouth and I said, 453 00:25:39,531 --> 00:25:43,211 Speaker 13: oh my god, the taste. 454 00:25:42,091 --> 00:25:43,491 Speaker 11: Well it was heroin. 455 00:25:43,971 --> 00:25:47,091 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was like seven million dollars worth of heroin. 456 00:25:47,971 --> 00:25:50,971 Speaker 2: Her friend gave her a like a pasta bag or 457 00:25:51,011 --> 00:25:53,531 Speaker 2: a paper bag full of cash. Yeah, it was a 458 00:25:53,531 --> 00:25:56,291 Speaker 2: big brick of cash, so like. 459 00:25:56,531 --> 00:26:01,131 Speaker 11: As of in a movie getting the money. 460 00:26:01,291 --> 00:26:04,371 Speaker 13: It was finn. I'm not gonna lie you don't think 461 00:26:04,371 --> 00:26:08,850 Speaker 13: of tomorrow. Just think of that day, you know, and 462 00:26:08,931 --> 00:26:11,371 Speaker 13: what you could deal with it. 463 00:26:11,371 --> 00:26:13,611 Speaker 5: It's like being queen queen for a day. 464 00:26:13,811 --> 00:26:14,851 Speaker 2: What's the first thing you bought? 465 00:26:16,211 --> 00:26:20,531 Speaker 13: Mmm? I think what the most expensive food, like lobster 466 00:26:20,851 --> 00:26:22,851 Speaker 13: and took it home and ate it all by myself. 467 00:26:23,811 --> 00:26:26,131 Speaker 2: You ordered a full lobster. 468 00:26:26,611 --> 00:26:28,411 Speaker 5: Yeah, I think I orded a double lobster. 469 00:26:29,251 --> 00:26:32,011 Speaker 2: And then you brought it to your apartment and then 470 00:26:32,011 --> 00:26:33,571 Speaker 2: you just ate it by yourself. 471 00:26:33,691 --> 00:26:33,851 Speaker 8: Yeah. 472 00:26:33,851 --> 00:26:37,331 Speaker 2: I watched TV and ate it and your like life 473 00:26:37,411 --> 00:26:37,771 Speaker 2: is good. 474 00:26:38,491 --> 00:26:38,731 Speaker 10: Yeah. 475 00:26:38,931 --> 00:26:42,731 Speaker 13: I could have this every day because I love lobster. 476 00:26:44,851 --> 00:26:46,691 Speaker 2: She hid all of the cash that she was getting 477 00:26:46,731 --> 00:26:49,651 Speaker 2: in a drawer in her bedroom and used it for 478 00:26:49,691 --> 00:26:53,931 Speaker 2: all sorts of stuff, the dentist that's on Majeong Jewelry. 479 00:26:54,331 --> 00:26:57,531 Speaker 2: Tina bought a car at BMW And the pinnacle of 480 00:26:57,531 --> 00:26:59,211 Speaker 2: all of this is when she and her best friend 481 00:26:59,251 --> 00:27:01,651 Speaker 2: went on a trip to Asia together, a trip that 482 00:27:01,651 --> 00:27:03,531 Speaker 2: would turn out to be a very big deal in 483 00:27:03,571 --> 00:27:06,731 Speaker 2: the case later. And on that trip her world kind 484 00:27:06,731 --> 00:27:09,051 Speaker 2: of got expanded. She got to see things she had 485 00:27:09,131 --> 00:27:12,011 Speaker 2: never seen before in her life. Like she talked about 486 00:27:12,011 --> 00:27:14,451 Speaker 2: how when she and her friend arrived in Indonesia. They 487 00:27:14,491 --> 00:27:16,651 Speaker 2: saw this huge beach that looked like it was covered 488 00:27:16,651 --> 00:27:19,611 Speaker 2: with black rock, But when she got closer, she realized 489 00:27:19,651 --> 00:27:20,731 Speaker 2: those were actually crabs. 490 00:27:21,651 --> 00:27:23,330 Speaker 13: It's like a thousand of them, so it looked like 491 00:27:23,371 --> 00:27:26,251 Speaker 13: the rock is black, but when you go there, it's 492 00:27:26,291 --> 00:27:28,451 Speaker 13: white because all the crabs walk away. 493 00:27:28,491 --> 00:27:29,971 Speaker 5: It's like thousands. 494 00:27:30,491 --> 00:27:33,851 Speaker 2: Was this fun when you're like getting these packages doing 495 00:27:33,891 --> 00:27:34,491 Speaker 2: these trips? 496 00:27:34,731 --> 00:27:35,331 Speaker 5: It was fun. 497 00:27:36,691 --> 00:27:41,090 Speaker 13: I feel that if you take any ordinary person and 498 00:27:41,131 --> 00:27:43,291 Speaker 13: you give them a trip, and you take them here 499 00:27:43,611 --> 00:27:46,931 Speaker 13: you can go shopping. Nobody's gonna say no. I mean, 500 00:27:46,971 --> 00:27:49,091 Speaker 13: you know they're they're not gonna say they didn't have fun. 501 00:27:51,571 --> 00:27:54,571 Speaker 2: According to the court docs, Tina made about fifteen thousand 502 00:27:54,651 --> 00:27:58,451 Speaker 2: dollars for receiving these boxes, and that's not including other 503 00:27:58,531 --> 00:28:01,931 Speaker 2: perks like the plane ticket to Asia. But while the 504 00:28:01,971 --> 00:28:05,131 Speaker 2: money was fun, it wasn't drastically teaching her life the 505 00:28:05,131 --> 00:28:07,771 Speaker 2: way that she imagined it would. And her friend was 506 00:28:07,811 --> 00:28:12,131 Speaker 2: asking her to do more and more. She was getting boxy. 507 00:28:12,331 --> 00:28:16,651 Speaker 2: Tina had a bad feeling. Tina was right to be 508 00:28:16,691 --> 00:28:20,171 Speaker 2: anxious about her luck running out. This was the late eighties. 509 00:28:20,651 --> 00:28:24,371 Speaker 2: President Ronald Reagan had doubled down on the War on drugs. 510 00:28:24,651 --> 00:28:27,531 Speaker 4: We're taking down the surrender flag that has flown over 511 00:28:27,571 --> 00:28:28,731 Speaker 4: so many drug efforts. 512 00:28:29,091 --> 00:28:32,371 Speaker 12: We're running up a battle flag. We can fight the 513 00:28:32,451 --> 00:28:34,291 Speaker 12: drug problem, and we can win. 514 00:28:36,691 --> 00:28:40,491 Speaker 2: In nineteen eighty six, Reagan signed the Anti Drug Abuse Act. 515 00:28:40,851 --> 00:28:45,891 Speaker 2: It created new mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes, and 516 00:28:45,971 --> 00:28:48,331 Speaker 2: that same year Congress began holding hearings. 517 00:28:48,931 --> 00:28:53,091 Speaker 3: Today will learn more about criminal groups of Asian origin 518 00:28:53,451 --> 00:28:55,491 Speaker 3: operating in the United States. 519 00:28:55,891 --> 00:29:00,291 Speaker 12: Drug traffickers love a vacuum. As traditional organized crime appears 520 00:29:00,331 --> 00:29:03,171 Speaker 12: to be taking less and less of the market than 521 00:29:03,211 --> 00:29:06,891 Speaker 12: other trafficking organizations will move in, and it certainly appears 522 00:29:06,931 --> 00:29:10,731 Speaker 12: from the intelligence we have that the Oriental traffickers are 523 00:29:10,891 --> 00:29:12,571 Speaker 12: picking up a big piece of that action. 524 00:29:14,571 --> 00:29:16,731 Speaker 2: All of this was in the distant background of Tina 525 00:29:16,771 --> 00:29:19,971 Speaker 2: Wong's life. Her reason for wanting to quit the drug 526 00:29:20,011 --> 00:29:22,731 Speaker 2: trade was closer to home. She was worried that if 527 00:29:22,771 --> 00:29:25,971 Speaker 2: she kept accepting these packages, she'd put her family in danger. 528 00:29:26,771 --> 00:29:29,651 Speaker 1: She had a husband and a one year old daughter. 529 00:29:40,491 --> 00:29:43,491 Speaker 2: When Tina Wong was twenty eight years old, she became 530 00:29:43,531 --> 00:29:45,411 Speaker 2: a mom to a baby girl. 531 00:29:46,171 --> 00:29:49,171 Speaker 13: They cleaned her up, and they put her in the 532 00:29:49,251 --> 00:29:53,451 Speaker 13: little basket and they wrapped it up like a sumo, 533 00:29:54,531 --> 00:29:57,571 Speaker 13: you know, because they got nails and she was like scratching. 534 00:29:59,011 --> 00:30:04,251 Speaker 2: She named her daughter Fallen after that TV show Dynasty, 535 00:30:04,291 --> 00:30:06,491 Speaker 2: which had you heard of that TV show before? 536 00:30:06,531 --> 00:30:08,651 Speaker 11: I've heard of that, but I've never watched it. 537 00:30:09,091 --> 00:30:10,851 Speaker 2: Yeah, I had never heard of it, but yeah, apparently 538 00:30:10,891 --> 00:30:13,211 Speaker 2: it was like a huge TV show in the eighties, 539 00:30:13,371 --> 00:30:16,971 Speaker 2: like number one hit, and it was about this oil 540 00:30:17,051 --> 00:30:20,011 Speaker 2: Tycoons family, and Fallen was the daughter. And she was 541 00:30:20,051 --> 00:30:21,211 Speaker 2: like a rich, spoiled rat. 542 00:30:21,691 --> 00:30:24,771 Speaker 12: Your father's Whatdy's not a gift, it's a responsibility. Hell 543 00:30:24,891 --> 00:30:27,771 Speaker 12: it is. You want to feel guilty for being born rich? 544 00:30:28,091 --> 00:30:31,611 Speaker 2: I don't, But yeah, Tina's daughter, Fallen was born into 545 00:30:31,611 --> 00:30:34,931 Speaker 2: a different situation, right. Tina had had the stream of 546 00:30:34,971 --> 00:30:37,931 Speaker 2: being a textile designer, and she even got as a 547 00:30:38,011 --> 00:30:40,771 Speaker 2: high schooler into this special program at FT, the College 548 00:30:40,811 --> 00:30:44,251 Speaker 2: in New York of Art and Design. But then she 549 00:30:44,371 --> 00:30:46,891 Speaker 2: was on a scholarship and both she was like sixteen seventeen, 550 00:30:46,931 --> 00:30:49,331 Speaker 2: both of her parents got cancer one after the other, 551 00:30:49,411 --> 00:30:50,971 Speaker 2: and she was the person who had to take care 552 00:30:51,011 --> 00:30:53,691 Speaker 2: of them, and then she missed so much school that 553 00:30:53,731 --> 00:30:56,891 Speaker 2: she got kicked out of the program. After her parents died, 554 00:30:56,931 --> 00:30:58,491 Speaker 2: she was like trying to get study work, so she 555 00:30:58,531 --> 00:31:01,011 Speaker 2: would like go to bars to work there and have 556 00:31:01,051 --> 00:31:03,251 Speaker 2: to bring fallen and then people would be like, you're 557 00:31:03,251 --> 00:31:05,731 Speaker 2: a bad mom for bringing your kid to a bar. 558 00:31:07,051 --> 00:31:08,971 Speaker 13: Sometime when people go on me and say, oh, we 559 00:31:09,011 --> 00:31:12,971 Speaker 13: need a bartender or waitress, you know for the week 560 00:31:13,131 --> 00:31:17,011 Speaker 13: or the day, I fill in. But it wasn't, you know, 561 00:31:17,131 --> 00:31:19,611 Speaker 13: often because I had to take care of her because 562 00:31:19,611 --> 00:31:23,051 Speaker 13: I was still like young, and so I was like 563 00:31:23,291 --> 00:31:28,251 Speaker 13: not really a best mother, but you know, I try. 564 00:31:28,731 --> 00:31:30,691 Speaker 13: You know, you got to think about what you're doing. 565 00:31:30,771 --> 00:31:36,291 Speaker 13: So I try to work and you know, make ends meet. 566 00:31:37,171 --> 00:31:39,691 Speaker 2: And her husband was working as a cook and sometimes 567 00:31:39,691 --> 00:31:41,571 Speaker 2: in some kimbling parlors. 568 00:31:41,171 --> 00:31:44,491 Speaker 6: He works like super long shifts and long hours. I 569 00:31:44,491 --> 00:31:46,971 Speaker 6: think at a certain point, like they had to send 570 00:31:46,971 --> 00:31:50,491 Speaker 6: a baby to her grandparents, who were. 571 00:31:50,371 --> 00:31:52,571 Speaker 11: In Canada at a time take care of her so that. 572 00:31:52,611 --> 00:31:55,411 Speaker 6: Like Tina could go out to work while people were 573 00:31:56,011 --> 00:31:58,411 Speaker 6: where the baby was being taken care of by someone. 574 00:31:59,171 --> 00:32:02,731 Speaker 2: They sent Folin to Canada to be with her grandparents, 575 00:32:02,931 --> 00:32:05,771 Speaker 2: her husband's parents, so she knew that Valin would be 576 00:32:05,811 --> 00:32:09,731 Speaker 2: safe as Tina tried to find study work and figure 577 00:32:09,731 --> 00:32:11,971 Speaker 2: out her life. You know, Tina doesn't speak Chinese, but 578 00:32:11,971 --> 00:32:14,771 Speaker 2: if she was with her grandparents, then. 579 00:32:15,091 --> 00:32:17,011 Speaker 11: Felin could pick up some Chinese wall. 580 00:32:16,931 --> 00:32:19,131 Speaker 1: Did you say she that your parents did the same thing. 581 00:32:19,411 --> 00:32:21,891 Speaker 6: Yeah, I got through basically the same thing as Fallin. 582 00:32:22,931 --> 00:32:26,491 Speaker 6: My extended family is like very closely like supporting each other. 583 00:32:26,731 --> 00:32:30,651 Speaker 6: So they also sent me back to my grandparents when 584 00:32:30,651 --> 00:32:31,531 Speaker 6: I was about. 585 00:32:31,251 --> 00:32:32,211 Speaker 11: Like ten months old. 586 00:32:32,731 --> 00:32:32,971 Speaker 12: Months. 587 00:32:33,331 --> 00:32:34,771 Speaker 11: Yes, about the same time. 588 00:32:36,931 --> 00:32:39,131 Speaker 2: So Tina knew that Fallen was being well taken care 589 00:32:39,171 --> 00:32:41,051 Speaker 2: of as she and her husband tried to sort out 590 00:32:41,091 --> 00:32:43,691 Speaker 2: how to provide for her, and after feeling like she 591 00:32:43,731 --> 00:32:46,171 Speaker 2: had been doing a bad job, Tina felt like this 592 00:32:46,291 --> 00:32:49,931 Speaker 2: huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Were you 593 00:32:50,091 --> 00:32:52,611 Speaker 2: enjoying it or were you like Fad because you were 594 00:32:52,611 --> 00:32:53,451 Speaker 2: missing her both? 595 00:32:53,971 --> 00:32:59,971 Speaker 13: Truthfully, I was enjoying it. 596 00:32:59,971 --> 00:33:02,051 Speaker 2: It was after her daughter was sent away that Tina 597 00:33:02,091 --> 00:33:05,051 Speaker 2: started accepting these boxes. But then she could feel her 598 00:33:05,131 --> 00:33:07,691 Speaker 2: luck running out. She told her friend she wasn't going 599 00:33:07,771 --> 00:33:11,771 Speaker 2: to do this work anymore. Five months went by, then 600 00:33:11,891 --> 00:33:15,451 Speaker 2: came the sting, the day DA agents raided that house 601 00:33:15,491 --> 00:33:20,771 Speaker 2: in Brooklyn. As we already heard, Agent Petemtesser found that accountant, 602 00:33:20,931 --> 00:33:24,051 Speaker 2: the mother of two, standing in front of an open 603 00:33:24,091 --> 00:33:25,691 Speaker 2: box of stuffed animals. 604 00:33:26,131 --> 00:33:30,331 Speaker 4: She was very upset, crying, and your goal is to 605 00:33:30,331 --> 00:33:33,011 Speaker 4: try to calm the situation down as soon as you 606 00:33:33,051 --> 00:33:36,811 Speaker 4: can and then hopefully move up the ladder. 607 00:33:38,011 --> 00:33:40,371 Speaker 2: This woman led the agents up the ladder to the 608 00:33:40,371 --> 00:33:43,531 Speaker 2: woman who had recruited her, and that woman gave up 609 00:33:43,531 --> 00:33:48,411 Speaker 2: the names of Tina's best friend and Tina. 610 00:33:48,611 --> 00:33:51,931 Speaker 10: On March first, nineteen eighty eight, an arrest warrant was 611 00:33:51,971 --> 00:33:54,531 Speaker 10: issued in the Eastern District of New York for Tina 612 00:33:54,651 --> 00:33:59,171 Speaker 10: Wong for importation of heroin. That approximately nine pm, Wong 613 00:33:59,371 --> 00:34:00,971 Speaker 10: was arrested at her residence. 614 00:34:03,331 --> 00:34:05,851 Speaker 6: That was the moment maybe that she realized that she 615 00:34:05,931 --> 00:34:10,410 Speaker 6: was not really being paranoid and everything she did as 616 00:34:10,491 --> 00:34:11,931 Speaker 6: a consequence. 617 00:34:12,371 --> 00:34:15,771 Speaker 1: Tina's worst fears were now coming true. 618 00:34:16,091 --> 00:34:19,210 Speaker 13: They took my daughter's picture off the refrigerator. They go, 619 00:34:20,011 --> 00:34:22,491 Speaker 13: is this your daughter? I said yes. They go, oh, 620 00:34:23,091 --> 00:34:26,051 Speaker 13: you may not see her for like twenty five years. 621 00:34:26,091 --> 00:34:29,370 Speaker 13: You know, like that was kind of a low blow. 622 00:34:29,371 --> 00:34:30,971 Speaker 13: I don't think they should have did it like that, 623 00:34:31,331 --> 00:34:32,571 Speaker 13: but that's their way. 624 00:34:32,691 --> 00:34:36,891 Speaker 2: So their way was to keep building a case against 625 00:34:36,931 --> 00:34:40,171 Speaker 2: whoever was at the top, the person really behind the 626 00:34:40,211 --> 00:34:43,730 Speaker 2: boxes of heroin. To do that, they needed Tina to 627 00:34:43,771 --> 00:34:46,571 Speaker 2: tell them everything about what she had done and who 628 00:34:46,611 --> 00:34:50,011 Speaker 2: else was involved this time though, it wasn't going to 629 00:34:50,051 --> 00:34:53,131 Speaker 2: be so easy. Was there a part of you that's like, 630 00:34:53,491 --> 00:34:55,371 Speaker 2: I'm not going to cooperate. 631 00:34:55,211 --> 00:34:58,091 Speaker 13: Yes, that I wasn't going to cooperate. No, I wasn't 632 00:34:58,131 --> 00:34:59,730 Speaker 13: going to cooperate with them. 633 00:35:00,171 --> 00:35:03,331 Speaker 2: Tina had much more valuable information about this scheme than 634 00:35:03,371 --> 00:35:07,131 Speaker 2: the account, but she also had no intention of sharing 635 00:35:07,131 --> 00:35:09,690 Speaker 2: what she knew, and that was going to be a 636 00:35:09,691 --> 00:35:14,131 Speaker 2: big problem because she and all the women like her 637 00:35:14,291 --> 00:35:17,011 Speaker 2: were now in the crosshairs of a young and determined 638 00:35:17,091 --> 00:35:21,011 Speaker 2: federal prosecutor. Her job was to bring down a drug kingpin, 639 00:35:21,451 --> 00:35:24,810 Speaker 2: and she saw all these female witnesses in custody as 640 00:35:24,851 --> 00:35:26,091 Speaker 2: a huge opportunity. 641 00:35:28,131 --> 00:35:31,210 Speaker 14: It was fairly early in my career as a prosecutor, 642 00:35:31,691 --> 00:35:33,491 Speaker 14: and it was like one of those cases that I 643 00:35:33,571 --> 00:35:36,611 Speaker 14: started in general crimes and then took with me to 644 00:35:36,691 --> 00:35:38,850 Speaker 14: narcotics as I worked my way up the chain. 645 00:35:40,291 --> 00:35:43,531 Speaker 2: Her name is Beryl Howell. She's the reason I'm able 646 00:35:43,531 --> 00:35:46,651 Speaker 2: to report on this case. I've known Beryl for years. 647 00:35:47,651 --> 00:35:48,850 Speaker 2: She's my boyfriend's mother. 648 00:35:50,291 --> 00:35:51,971 Speaker 11: These are briefs that I filed. 649 00:35:52,611 --> 00:35:56,251 Speaker 2: The government was always blue was that more torontoebook stuff 650 00:35:57,051 --> 00:36:03,931 Speaker 2: witness list. Oh my god, Beryl. Beryl is the one 651 00:36:03,931 --> 00:36:07,291 Speaker 2: who gave me that suitcase full of court documents, years 652 00:36:07,331 --> 00:36:13,210 Speaker 2: worth of filings, interviews, openings, closings, rebuttals. There are note 653 00:36:13,211 --> 00:36:17,011 Speaker 2: pads full of her sprawling cursive all about illegal Saga 654 00:36:17,131 --> 00:36:22,091 Speaker 2: were almost nothing when according to plan, the case that 655 00:36:22,131 --> 00:36:25,851 Speaker 2: started with the Chinatown Sting would change Beryl's life and 656 00:36:25,891 --> 00:36:40,091 Speaker 2: Tina Wong's life and Chinatown. And it was just getting underway, 657 00:36:40,891 --> 00:36:43,531 Speaker 2: coming up on the season of the Chinatown Sting. 658 00:36:44,491 --> 00:36:48,171 Speaker 15: When people came here, there were strangers in a foreign land, 659 00:36:48,171 --> 00:36:52,931 Speaker 15: and they didn't speak the language, didn't read English, and 660 00:36:53,051 --> 00:36:55,011 Speaker 15: so this was the one place they could go to 661 00:36:55,131 --> 00:36:57,451 Speaker 15: for any kind of assistance. 662 00:36:58,251 --> 00:37:00,851 Speaker 11: Once you join a gang, you feel like you have 663 00:37:01,851 --> 00:37:03,131 Speaker 11: the whole gang behind you. 664 00:37:04,171 --> 00:37:07,451 Speaker 13: Well, I always know that a good friendship nothing can 665 00:37:07,491 --> 00:37:07,891 Speaker 13: break it. 666 00:37:08,531 --> 00:37:12,011 Speaker 8: There's a difference between Quayne hearing things and thinking you're 667 00:37:12,051 --> 00:37:15,371 Speaker 8: not hearing the truth versus thinking you're not hearing the 668 00:37:15,411 --> 00:37:20,371 Speaker 8: whole story. I wasn't sure I was ever hearing the 669 00:37:20,451 --> 00:37:22,890 Speaker 8: whole story from Tina Wan. 670 00:37:28,891 --> 00:37:32,291 Speaker 2: The Chinatown Stang is written and produced by me Liddy 671 00:37:32,371 --> 00:37:35,731 Speaker 2: Jine Kott and reported by me and Shu Yu Wang. 672 00:37:36,411 --> 00:37:41,491 Speaker 2: Our senior producer is Emily Martinez, additional production by Sonya Gerwit. 673 00:37:42,531 --> 00:37:47,291 Speaker 2: Our editor is Julia Barton, with additional editing by Karen Shakerji. 674 00:37:48,331 --> 00:37:50,690 Speaker 2: Our story consultant is rongshau Ching. 675 00:37:51,571 --> 00:37:53,651 Speaker 1: Our executive producer is Jacob Smith. 676 00:37:54,451 --> 00:37:58,811 Speaker 2: Our music was composed by Johnson Sound Design and additional 677 00:37:58,851 --> 00:38:02,531 Speaker 2: music by Jake Gorsky. Our fact checker is Kate Furby, 678 00:38:03,091 --> 00:38:06,571 Speaker 2: and our show art was designed by Sean Carney. All 679 00:38:06,691 --> 00:38:11,171 Speaker 2: voiceover work by Tally Leong. For more information about this episode, 680 00:38:11,291 --> 00:38:14,851 Speaker 2: check out our show notes or visit Pushkin dot fm 681 00:38:14,971 --> 00:38:20,131 Speaker 2: slash Chinatown. The Chinatown Staying is a production of Pushkin Industries. 682 00:38:20,851 --> 00:38:24,091 Speaker 2: To find more Pushkin podcasts, listen on the iHeartRadio app, 683 00:38:24,371 --> 00:38:27,690 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen to podcasts.