That sense was reinforced by visits from out-of-state relatives who acted like we were poor — because compared to them, we were. The problem grew so widespread that the DEA transferred an agent from New York City to help crack down on the activity. It had shaped me, for better or worse, and I realized I’d been too quick to judge it. For a kid who once hated where they grew up, I had somehow become the unofficial town historian on fishing and drug smuggling. She is the author of “DOWNEAST GOLDMINE,” a forthcoming nonfiction narrative about fishing, drug smuggling, and her childhood on the Maine coast.

Source: Huffington Post December 26, 2025 16:19 UTC