Seven years ago today, Howard Marks passed away. Better known by his nickname “Mr Nice”, he was the Englishman who democratized the use of hashish in the 70’s, by opening up the trade routes to the West.
At the height of his career, he was shipping 30 tons of resin a month to Europe and the USA, while maintaining cordial relations with the CIA, MI6, the Mafia and the Yakuza. Portrait of the coolest (and most confusing) of all taga dealers.
Howard Marks discovered cannabis in 1967. The young student from Wales began studying physics at Oxford’s prestigious Balliol College. Born into a modest family but with a flamboyant character and charismatic personality, Howard Marks quickly became the darling of the campus. Always affable and funny, he’s an undeniable hit with the girls… and the boys. But not for the same reasons: while he seduces the former, his popularity with the Oxford boys is largely due to his cannabic connections: Marks deals pot left and right, and always with a smile.
1968-1970: Sober against all odds
Until an arrest in 1968, when a guest at an overly festive party dies after swallowing opium. The police are dispatched to the scene, and Howard is taken away by the bobbies. As luck would have it, only a few marijuana residues were found at the scene. The future “Mr Nice” was released after 48 hours in police custody, very chilled by the heat of the night.
Between 1968 and 1970, he continued his scientific studies at the University of Sussex, and for two years, from 1968 to 1970, Howard Marks displayed exemplary sobriety. While the whole of London was swinging and farting its head off, he was on probation and regularly had to justify his good behavior to the authorities.
When he returned to the chichon and its trade, it was in 1970 and on a quasi-confidential basis: low profile and small quantities only. He restricted his activities to close acquaintances.
In late 1970, he was persuaded by his then-girlfriend to come to the aid of his pal Graham Plinston, who was imprisoned in Germany on suspicion of trafficking. While Plinston is behind bars, a BMW full of hash (which the police have failed to locate) is waiting for Marks in Berlin.
Young Howard agrees to drive the stuffed car back to England; it will be his first border crossing with 250 kilos of black Afghan hidden in the doors and back seats. A few weeks later, having caused quite a stir in London with his hash of rare quality, Marks met Mohammed Durrani, a Pakistani trafficker who offered him the chance to sell exceptional cannabis in large quantities in His Majesty’s Kingdom.
In just three years, Marks’ traffic exploded, to the point where he extended its distribution to Northern Europe.
The low-profile policy is a distant memory for a Howard Marks with rock-star looks and a flamboyant attitude.
In February 1973, he is caught by the Dutch police during a drug check. Thanks to an unlikely connection (a friend and client working at MI6), Marks walked free from his arrest, awaiting trial.
He chose not to appear in court, burned his MI6 joker and spent the next ten years on the run.
1973: Birth of Nice
In 1973, he became “Mr Nice”. Although the man was reputed to be adorable, jovial and funny, this was not the reason for his new name: that year, he managed to obtain the identity of a prisoner who had died but was not registered as such… A certain Ruppert Nice.
After returning to the UK illegally, Marks, who travels back and forth to India under the identity of Ruppert Nice, imports a hashish of impeccable quality into Europe: black Nepalese.
Between 1975 and 1978, with the help of the Yakuza and the Mafia, he shipped some 55,000 pounds of premium resin from John F. Kennedy airport. At the time, he was also unofficially covered by the CIA, who used him as an informer for his links with the IRA, with whom he also trafficked.
The list of other groups involved in these operations is as surprising as it is respectful: in addition to the Mafia, the Yakuza and the CIA, the Brotherhood of Eternal Love, the Thai army and the Palestine Liberation Organization… and Pink Floyd, who agreed to hide some of his hash in the speakers of a gigantic American tour.
In the late 70s, Marks narrowly avoided a drug trafficking charge by pleading “not guilty”.
However, he was sentenced to two years behind bars for using…a false passport.
On his release from prison, Marks returned to the soft-drug trade (he would never agree to do any illegal business other than cannabis).
After a decade of living the most comfortable life under the Spanish sun, Uncle Sam’s Drug Enforcement Agency will finally get its hands on the man who democratized brown cannabis on the blue planet, from the Old Continent to the New World.
He was sentenced to 25 years in prison and fined $50,000.
In April 1995, Marks was paroled for his “model prisoner” behavior.
1995- 2019: free and in the shadow of justice
Some say that when he was released, he resumed his astonishing activities without the slightest hesitation. Only a rumor, since Mr. Nice was never again troubled by the police until his death from cancer at the age of 70. From 95 to 2019, Marks was also extremely prolific in other areas: he wrote his autobiography, took part in the screenplay for Mr Nice, a biopic about his life, travelled the globe, gave lectures, and was a regular guest on TV shows when he wasn’t doing stand-up.
Howard Marks will leave us on April 10, 2019, passing away peacefully in his beautiful home in Leeds, surrounded by the love of his wife and children. A very nice ending.
Bonus: a rather brilliant (and crazy) doc. filmed during a trip to Jamaica by the Nice Guy:
