Exploring the Identity of Howard Marks, ‘Mr Nice’

Howard Marks initially gained notoriety as a prominent cannabis smuggler, subsequently evolving into a campaigner, author, and a figure of counterculture legend. However, the true nature of the individual known as Mr Nice remains a subject of varying perspectives, as revealed by a new two-part documentary. According to some, he was a “dealer junkie” and a narcissist consumed by his self-created myth. Conversely, others perceived him as an opportunist, a rockstar-like figure, and a modern-day Robin Hood. Marks grew up in Kenfig Hill, Bridgend, south Wales, with his mother, a schoolteacher, and his father, a merchant sailor. His childhood friend, Marty Langford, recalls a young Marks who faced challenges due to orthopaedic problems. Langford stated, “He was slow… he would be the last to be picked and I think that must have been very humiliating for him.” Langford added, “Then he blossomed and started dressing up like a teddy boy and chasing the girls, getting them too.” In 1964, Marks achieved a notable distinction as the first male student from Garw grammar school to secure admission to Oxford University, where he pursued studies in physics. His distinctive teddy boy style proved highly popular with women. Lynn Barber, an author and Oxford acquaintance, remembered Marks as an “exotic looking person and an exotic character” and recounted, “I fancied him immediately and he was really notorious for asking girls ‘do you want to go to bed with me?’.” She further stated, “He did say ‘do you fancy sleeping with me?’ and I did say yes and I’m glad I did.” Lynn noted that Marks consistently carried drugs. She observed, “At the beginning he was seen as a sort of Robin Hood character who was helping people obtain cannabis.” She also commented, “I think he was a great opportunist and I don’t think he had some master plan at all.” Marks later recounted his entry into cannabis smuggling. In an archival interview featured in the documentary, he explained, “I started dealing, buying and selling, initially just to be able to afford to have enough to smoke, which was quite common amongst students.” He added, “It changed my life completely.” Two decades after graduating from Oxford, he managed his global drug smuggling enterprise from his residence in Palma, Mallorca, where he resided with his spouse and three offspring. By the mid-1980s, he was widely regarded as the most prolific high-grade hashish smuggler in the industry, responsible for importing thousands of tonnes of cannabis into both the UK and the US. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Craig Lovato was resolute in his mission to apprehend Marks. Marks initially drew Lovato’s attention in 1973 after successfully smuggling hashish into the US by concealing it within the speakers of British rock bands touring the country. Subsequently, in 1981, he was acquitted of drug-related charges after asserting to a jury at the Old Bailey that he was an MI5 agent monitoring IRA drug smugglers and gunrunners. The former agent informed the documentary, “I became obsessed with the desire to take him and his organisation down”. Spanish police had been covertly recording Marks’ telephone conversations, and Lovato was dispatched to listen to hundreds of hours of these calls. He concluded that Marks was an exceptionally clever and persuasive individual. Lovato stated, “He felt that he was untouchable.” He elaborated, “He was particularly clever – he had a worldwide organisation where he had to launder millions of dollars, ships, aeroplanes and submarines, and do all that without any paperwork. You have to be incredibly organised.” Lovato added, “He always convinced the people he was talking to to do what he wanted to do.” Lovato developed a near-obsession with his adversary. He remarked, “The man was literally an icon within UK law enforcement.” He continued, “He wasn’t your typical British gangster he was more like a playboy, he looked like a rockstar.” Ironically, it was Marks’ own book, authored following his 1981 acquittal, that assisted Lovato in reconstructing his operation and identifying his criminal associates. Among these was Roger Reeves, an investor in the enterprise, who subsequently spent 33 years incarcerated for drug offenses. Reeves stated in the documentary, “For sure, Howard Marks was the worst thing that ever happened to me in my life.” He added, “I think that Howard didn’t care. He thought he was smarter than everybody else.” Gerry Wills, who managed the transportation of cannabis and later served six years in an American prison, credited Marks’ talent for uniting “misfits.” Wills commented, “Best Welshman I ever met.” In 1988, Lovato successfully apprehended Marks, who was arrested in Spain on trafficking charges. Marks was extradited to the US and, in 1990, received a 25-year prison sentence. BBC journalist Penny Roberts conducted an interview with Marks while he was incarcerated. She recounted to the documentary makers, “He was moved. He hadn’t seen his children for the best part of 18 months and he knew that they would probably never come to see him in America.” During their conversation, she inquired if his children had become needless victims of his ego. He responded, “Without the war on drugs I wouldn’t be here. Without my ego I probably wouldn’t be here either.” In 1995, he was granted release due to his exemplary conduct. This marked the commencement of his second career, which encompassed roles as an author, storyteller, and advocate for cannabis legalisation. He initiated this phase by penning his memoirs, titled Mr Nice, which achieved bestseller status, was translated into multiple languages, and adapted into a film. He frequently performed a one-man show, sharing anecdotes about his drug smuggling activities and prison experiences. He also made cameo appearances in the 1999 film Human Traffic, featured on television programs such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks, collaborated on musical tracks with the Super Furry Animals, and participated in the Glastonbury festival. Additionally, he commenced advocating for the legalisation of cannabis and contested a parliamentary election in 1997, running on a platform solely focused on reforming drug legislation. Marks passed away from cancer in 2016 at the age of 70. Yet, beyond his public persona, who was the authentic Howard Marks? His childhood friend Marty stated, “He’s not an evil guy. He enjoyed smoking and it got out of hand.” Marty further commented, “He was a dealer junkie, he couldn’t give up the deals… it was feeding his narcissism.” Lovato remembers Marks as a man “obsessed with his own myth.” Somewhat unexpectedly, Lovato expresses affection for Marks, stating, “I have a sense of loss with regard to Howard.” He elaborated, “For a time period we were uniquely tied to one another and even though he was a crook, he had no moral values, blah blah blah, he had some very redeeming values as well.” Lovato concluded, “I’m regretful that he’s gone.” The initial episode of Hunting Mr Nice: The Cannabis Kingpin will air on BBC One Wales and BBC Two at 21:00 GMT on 21st November, and will also be accessible on iPlayer on the same date. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.