Colin McLaren

Colin McLaren

Colin McLaren is the bestselling author of ‘Infiltration’, the true story of an undercover cop who infiltrated the Mafia, based on his own life. He followed this success with ‘On the Run’ a critically acclaimed novel about an undercover cop that is chased around the globe by a mafia hit-man!

Colin joined the Police academy at the start of two decades of the most volatile times in the country’s history, the 1980’s and 1990’s; where police shot and asked questions later. He relished in the tough world of street gangs and heroin pushers. He moved through the ranks fast, stepping further down the seedy laneways of organised crime.

In no time, he was selected to join the ‘secret squirrels’, the elite covert surveillance unit, spying on drug importers and the Mr Bigs.  He then turned his hand to undercover work, buying drugs, guns and scams that sent dozens of crooks to the big-house, for that long holiday. 

As a suit-and-tie detective at Richmond, known locally as ‘Dennis-ville,’ the stomping ground of Australia’s most infamous family of gangsters, he worked on: The Pettingill clan.  Dennis Allen became his target and informer, as did Kath Pettingill and Wendy Pierce.

Colin became Australia’s most experienced task force detective on The Walsh Street murders, Mr Cruel child rapes and murder, The Griffith Mafia probe and the NCA bombing and murder of a policeman. He was the first team leader selected each time a task force was formed, and the last one to go home of a night!   It wasn’t long before Colin would stir worry among the underworld.  He would suffer threats on his life, once an attempt to nail-bomb his house and another by Victor Pierce, who killed two constables at Walsh Street. All through Colin’s career he was a single father, raising a daughter, his ‘finest achievement’, he says.

Then at the twilight of his career, for two years Colin disappeared, surfacing in Griffith, in the largest covert (undercover) sting in our history.  Playing the role of a dodgy art dealer he be-friended the Godfather and upper echelon of the Mafiosi, buying truck loads of drugs and bags of pure cocaine. At the end of a drug smuggling attempt with his Italian mates, each was sent to prison for up to 13 years. Colin’s police life and achievements have been turned into a feature film, for release in 2011: ‘Infiltration’. 

After resigning from his police career he opened Villa Gusto, a unique Italian style gourmet treat where he achieved ‘chef hats’ for his hospitality. He now takes gourmet tours through Italy, where he lives a good part of each year.

Colin has just released his third book; ‘Sunflower’, the story of one of Australia’s longest serving foot soldiers in World War One: his beloved grandfather. For further information and a glimpse of some critical reviews see www.scuttlebuttmedia.net 


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Daniel Scharf
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