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Locked Up Abroad

54 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★ - 1.5K ratings

What does it feel like in the split second when you realize you're about to be locked up in a foreign country - possibly for life? In Locked Up Abroad, host Jim Clemente (Real Crime Profile) brings you first hand accounts from people who lived this nightmare, starting with Billy Hayes, subject of the Oliver Stone movie Midnight Express. A riveting, immersive audio adaptation of the hit TV series by the National Geographic Channel. From Istanbul to Bali to Sao Paulo, you'll hear what it's like to be locked up abroad.

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Episodes

Escape from Argentina - 20

December 15, 2020 10:00 - 38 minutes - 35 MB

Lucy Wright has her entire life pulled out from under her when her boyfriend of five years leaves. She turns to cocaine to ease her pain. Addicted, and desperate, she takes a job smuggling cocaine from Argentina to the UK. When things go completely awry, Lucy ends up a fugitive running from the law in Buenos Aires. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Son of Saddam - 19

December 08, 2020 10:00 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MB

23-year old Iraqi soldier Latif Yahia is summoned to meet with Saddam Hussein. He’s a near-exact physical match for his son, Uday, who demands Latif become his body double. Latif is given no choice, and trains to walk, talk, and behave exactly like his new master. Latif knows his only chance at survival is a daring escape to freedom in Turkey. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/p...

Bangkok Underworld - 18

December 01, 2020 10:00 - 42 minutes - 38.6 MB

Australian teacher Tim Schrader goes to Bangkok to teach English. He loves his job but isn’t making enough to pay for the lifestyle he enjoys. He takes a job smuggling heroin from Bangkok to the U.S, but he’s set up, caught with more than a hundred times the amount that would garner a death sentence in Thailand. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bogota Belly Bust - 17

November 24, 2020 10:00 - 38 minutes - 35 MB

Tabitha Richie is juggling her last year of college and being a single mother. She lets loose one night, and tries cocaine. She’s soon addicted and a shadow of her former self. She’s desperate to change, and accepts an offer from friends to stay in Bogota and get clean. She’s soon betrayed by the friends she thought she knew so well. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Not Without My Baby - 16

November 17, 2020 10:00 - 45 minutes - 41.4 MB

Susan Haglof and her husband Medhat are desperate to be parents. The agency doesn’t give them any official paperwork but the joys of parenting take over. When Susan wants to take the child, Marko, on a trip to the U.S. to visit her mother, she and Medhat are convicted of human trafficking and thrown in an Egyptian jail. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-in...

Dangerous Liaisons - 15

November 10, 2020 10:00 - 41 minutes - 37.9 MB

Stephen Comiskey takes his dream job as a nurse in Saudi Arabia. He doesn’t realize that, as a gay man, he risks execution if he’s discovered. After eight months, he’s lonely and strikes up a relationship with a British man there. When it ends, he’s dating again. This time he gets involved with a Saudi man, which has serious consequences. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privac...

Cocaine Mule Mom - 14

November 03, 2020 10:00 - 38 minutes - 34.9 MB

Ruthie Lambert was deep in the abyss of a midlife crisis, debt and foreclosure on her home when friends suggest that she can make a quick $10,000 by bringing drugs back from Peru. The appeal of easy money brings her back again and again. After a few successful jobs she decides it’s time to get out, but agrees to one more trip, where her luck finally runs out.  Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at ht...

Backstabbed in Thailand - 13

October 27, 2020 09:00 - 41 minutes - 37.6 MB

Army Veteran Kim Hood soon realizes that her trip to Thailand with her friend, Lisa Taylor, was a coverup for Lisa to smuggle heroin.Sentenced to death in a squalid Thai prison, a betrayed Kim wonders if she will ever see home again. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Colombia Ambush - 12

October 20, 2020 09:00 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MB

Mark Wedeven was adopted by an American couple when he was a baby. Upon graduating college he wanted to find his birth family, so he planned a trip to his native Colombia. He and his friends begin their journey through Colombia, ignoring all warnings, which lead to harrowing consequences that Mark can’t help but feel responsible for. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Orchid Hunters - 11

October 13, 2020 09:00 - 37 minutes - 33.9 MB

Two young British backpackers, Tom Hart Dyke and Paul Windor and searching for orchids and adventure when they’re kidnapped by Colombian Guerrillas as they try to cross the notoriously dangerous Darien Gap. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Philippine Terror - 9

September 29, 2020 09:00 - 43 minutes - 40 MB

Greg Williams’ life was turned upside down in 1996. Seeking a new start and greater meaning he agreed to go Manilla as a missionary. Soon after arrival he is kidnapped by terrorists with connections to Al Qaeda, and he begins a terrifying journey home. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tokyo Takedown - 8

September 22, 2020 09:00 - 40 minutes - 37.5 MB

Jackie Nichols grew up in Los Angeles in the mid-1970s. While working at a nightclub in LA, she had a chance to work at a club in Japan. A vacation to nearby Nepal turned into a job smuggling hashish back into Tokyo. More jobs followed. Jackie was caught, and her trip back to freedom turned into a profound journey of self-discovery. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Buried Alive - 7

September 15, 2020 09:00 - 39 minutes - 36.5 MB

In 2004, 20-year Navy veteran Roy Hallums was working as a contractor in Iraq. A routine trip to the office turned into a fight for his life when 20 armed Iraqi insurgents stormed the compound and took him and his colleagues hostage. He was sealed in an underground room. This is how he survived. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kidnapped in Iraq - 6

September 08, 2020 09:00 - 45 minutes - 41.6 MB

Canadian war correspondent Scott Taylor covered Iraq for many years, frequently crossing paths with Turkish journalist Zeynep Tugrul. They entered dangerous territory, believing their history and contacts would keep them safe. They were captured, and their courage and bond kept them both alive. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mexico Money Machine - 5

September 01, 2020 09:00 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MB

Jeremy Khinoo had a happy life: girlfriend, child, and a good job. When his girlfriend left him out of the blue, he didn’t know where to turn. He joined a friend smuggling steroids over the US border from Mexico, but Jeremy pushed his luck one too many times. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Vegas Mobster - 4

August 25, 2020 09:00 - 42 minutes - 39.1 MB

In the 1970s, Chicago Outfit enforcer Frank Cullotta led one of the largest organized crime syndicates in the U.S. In 1978, FBI agent Dennis Arnoldy led the investigation that eventually brought Frank down. In this story, Frank shares secrets from his life in the mob and the jewelry heist that brought it all to an end. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

My Dad the Smuggler - 3

August 18, 2020 09:00 - 41 minutes - 37.9 MB

Scott Campbell joins his estranged father, Lockie, on a trip through China on the Silk Road, hoping to reconnect. He soon discovers that Lockie intended for Scott to be his partner in taking 20 kilos of illicit drugs into the country. An unexpected turn brings their relationship to a new level in the end. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hasidic King of Coke - 2

August 11, 2020 09:00 - 36 minutes - 33.1 MB

Samuel Leibowitz lived a cloistered life in his religious community until he was lured into the dangerous underworld of drug smuggling. Samuel quickly rises through the ranks and become a major drug kingpin in Brazil. A devastating event throws his world for a loop, but it’s still not enough for him to walk away. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Somali Pirate Hostage - 1

August 04, 2020 09:00 - 41 minutes - 38.4 MB

South African couple Debbie Calitz and Bruno Pelizzari decided to follow their dreams and sail the world. After a stop in Tanzania and getting robbed of all their money and supplies, they accept an offer from a wealthy businessman that they hope will get them home. What follows is 20 months of imprisonment, and the ultimate test of endurance and their love. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info...

New Episodes of Locked Up Abroad

July 27, 2020 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.5 MB

Season Two of Locked Up Abroad will be available on this feed starting August 4th. You can also hear all of Season Three exclusively on Wondery+ now. Listen to Locked Up Abroad and all your Wondery favorites early and ad free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App today : https://wondery.app.link/sdZJLT05n8 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Busted and Pregnant - 10

May 06, 2020 04:00 - 42 minutes - 39.2 MB

Zara Whitaker grew up in poverty in South London. When she gets pregnant at 18 she’s desperate for a way to provide for her family. She’s offered a trip to Barbados to smuggle drugs back to the UK. Once there, she finds out she’s pregnant with her second child, but she’s in too deep to get out now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Locked Up Abroad: New Episodes!

August 08, 2019 08:30 - 37 minutes - 33.9 MB

The newest season of Locked Up Abroad can be found exclusively on Luminary. Listen at luminary.link/lockedup

15 | Teen Smuggler

May 29, 2019 19:05 - 37 minutes

El Paso, 1989: Alex Silva is a bored and disaffected teenager whose life is going nowhere fast. But instead of keeping his head down, Alex is distracted by some wealthy Mexican customers. Chasing the scent of money, he discovers that they are drug smugglers who bring marijuana into the US from Mexico. What follows is a coming-of-age story, as torture, imprisonment, falling in love, and a jailbreak conspire to finally make Alex a man.  This show is joining Luminary. For more, go to LuminaryPod...

14 | Saudi Whiskey Run

April 23, 2019 07:05 - 35 minutes

Scottish chef Gordon Malloch arrives in Saudi Arabia to start a new life as a catering manager but quickly finds himself a profitable side-line as a bootlegger. His homemade hooch makes him the toast of the ex-pat party scene. But when he is caught red-handed, he is sentenced by the religious police to nearly four years in prison and over 400 lashes.

13 | Raving Arizona

April 23, 2019 07:00 - 39 minutes

When Englishman Shaun turns to Ecstasy as a relief from the stresses of his new life as a stockbroker in Phoenix, Arizona, he soon finds himself seduced by the money and glamour of dealing the drug on an industrial scale. It proves to be too little too late when, one morning, there's a knock at the door, and his world turns upside down. This show is joining Luminary. For more, go to LuminaryPodcasts.com

This is Locked Up Abroad

April 23, 2019 04:00 - 1 minute

When travel dreams turn to nightmares, from the creators of Dr. Death. This show is joining Luminary. For more, go to LuminaryPodcasts.com

Introducing The City

November 05, 2018 11:10 - 5 minutes

The City tells true stories of how power works in urban America. Season 1 begins in Chicago, 1990. After years of disinvestment, highways are rebuilt, old buildings demolished, and new skyscrapers erected. All that rubble has to go somewhere, and its destination isn’t a landfill—it’s a pair of vacant lots in a predominately black, working-class neighborhood called North Lawndale. The man behind this operation is a white guy sporting a Cosby sweater and underworld connections. What follows is...

Introducing Imagined Life

November 05, 2018 08:00 - 4 minutes

What is it like to be famous before you’re famous? What is it like to walk in the shoes of another person? Each episode of IMAGINED LIFE takes you on an immersive journey into the life of a world-famous person. It’ll be someone you may think you know, even admire -- or maybe the opposite. You’ll get clues to your identity along the way. But only in the final moments will you find out who “you” really are. So sit back, let go, and -- imagine your life. Subscribe today at wondery.fm/imaginedlife

Interview with Billy Hayes

October 17, 2017 21:00 - 46 minutes - 43 MB

Listen to Locked Up Abroad host Jim Clemente's fascinating conversation with Billy Hayes, bringing you a more in depth look into his experience in Turkey and his escape from prison. We also hear about what Billy has been doing since his return and insights into his life then and now.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Caribbean Nightmare - 12

September 12, 2017 21:00 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MB

Jayne Blaydon is working as a stripper in West Yorkshire, England, when she is presented with a proposition to teach lap dancing at a new club in the Caribbean. She and her husband, David, arrive in Guyana, for what starts out as a dream vacation, but soon realize they have be tricked into smuggling multiple kilos of liquid cocaine back to England. They successfully get through two customs points before being arrested in Guadeloupe and end up spend two harrowing years in prison. Ne...

12 | Caribbean Nightmare

September 12, 2017 21:00 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MB

Jayne Blaydon is working as a stripper in West Yorkshire, England, when she is presented with a proposition to teach lap dancing at a new club in the Caribbean. She and her husband, David, arrive in Guyana, for what starts out as a dream vacation, but soon realize they have be tricked into smuggling multiple kilos of liquid cocaine back to England. They successfully get through two customs points before being arrested in Guadeloupe and end up spend two harrowing years in prison. Ne...

11 | Colombian Kidnap

September 05, 2017 21:00 - 44 minutes - 40.4 MB

Reini Weigel, a 30 year-old German woman is at the end of a long trip to South America and wants to visit the legendary Lost City, a thick tropical rain forrest on the north coast of Colombia. She and Erez Eltawil are joined by four others and begin the three day trek through the jungle. When they arrive at their destination, it is late and they decide to spend the night. At 3.30am they are awakened by guns in their faces and machetes at their throats. They have been kidnapped by gu...

Colombian Kidnap - 11

September 05, 2017 21:00 - 44 minutes - 40.4 MB

Reini Weigel, a 30 year-old German woman is at the end of a long trip to South America and wants to visit the legendary Lost City, a thick tropical rain forrest on the north coast of Colombia. She and Erez Eltawil are joined by four others and begin the three day trek through the jungle. When they arrive at their destination, it is late and they decide to spend the night. At 3.30am they are awakened by guns in their faces and machetes at their throats. They have been kidnapped by gu...

Nightmare In Somalia - 10

August 29, 2017 21:00 - 38 minutes - 34.8 MB

In July 2008, Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan is looking to make a name for himself. He joins photographer, Amanda Lindhout on a trip to record the conditions in the refugee camps in Somalia. They are aware of the danger, with rival militias fighting for control of the country, but feel protected by the guards assigned to travel with them. When they make a decision to go beyond their safe zone, they are kidnapped by a criminal gang. The ransom is set at $3 million; if it's ...

10 | Nightmare In Somalia

August 29, 2017 21:00 - 38 minutes - 34.8 MB

In July 2008, Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan is looking to make a name for himself. He joins photographer, Amanda Lindhout on a trip to record the conditions in the refugee camps in Somalia. They are aware of the danger, with rival militias fighting for control of the country, but feel protected by the guards assigned to travel with them. When they make a decision to go beyond their safe zone, they are kidnapped by a criminal gang. The ransom is set at $3 million; if it's ...

Prisoner of Love - 9

August 22, 2017 21:00 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MB

David Scott was a 36 year-old machine operator in Swindon, England in 2007. When his father was stricken with cancer, he began searching the internet for information about the disease and unexpectedly began an online relationship with Cynthia Reyes a Philippino woman, who had recently left a violent marriage. After a few months, David takes a trip to the Philippines to meet Cynthia and their relationship deepens. David returns to England. A short time later, Cynthia calls to tell hi...

9 | Prisoner of Love

August 22, 2017 21:00 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MB

David Scott was a 36 year-old machine operator in Swindon, England in 2007. When his father was stricken with cancer, he began searching the internet for information about the disease and unexpectedly began an online relationship with Cynthia Reyes a Philippino woman, who had recently left a violent marriage. After a few months, David takes a trip to the Philippines to meet Cynthia and their relationship deepens. David returns to England. A short time later, Cynthia calls to tell hi...

Heroin Sting - 8

August 15, 2017 21:00 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MB

In 2003, Brigene Young was a 20 year-old South African woman struggling to get by. Working two bar tending jobs to support herself and her 16 year-old sister, she just needs a break. When CJ, one of her regular customers, asks her to join him on a holiday to the luxury island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, she hesitantly agrees to go, with promises of a dream vacation. At the last minute, CJ informs her that she will be making the trip alone and she realizes he has tricked her in...

8 | Heroin Sting

August 15, 2017 21:00 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MB

In 2003, Brigene Young was a 20 year-old South African woman struggling to get by. Working two bar tending jobs to support herself and her 16 year-old sister, she just needs a break. When CJ, one of her regular customers, asks her to join him on a holiday to the luxury island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, she hesitantly agrees to go, with promises of a dream vacation. At the last minute, CJ informs her that she will be making the trip alone and she realizes he has tricked her in...

7 | Mexican Prison Escape

August 08, 2017 21:00 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MB

Mike Cook, Mace Stanley and Frank Sayre recount their harrowing experience attempting to smuggle 2200 lbs of marijuana into the United Sates from Mazatlan in 1972. Mike, Mace and their friend Paul were California surfers soaking up the sun south of the border. When their boat needs more work than they can afford, they need a way home. They think they’ve found the perfect answer in Frank and his brother Dan. But they are in for a surprise when they are arrested and sent to a dangerou...

Mexican Prison Escape - 7

August 08, 2017 21:00 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MB

Mike Cook, Mace Stanley and Frank Sayre recount their harrowing experience attempting to smuggle 2200 lbs of marijuana into the United Sates from Mazatlan in 1972. Mike, Mace and their friend Paul were California surfers soaking up the sun south of the border. When their boat needs more work than they can afford, they need a way home. They think they’ve found the perfect answer in Frank and his brother Dan. But they are in for a surprise when they are arrested and sent to a dangerou...

6 | Jamaican Getaway

August 01, 2017 21:00 - 48 minutes - 44 MB

Growing up in the South Bronx, 20 year-old Twana “TK” White dreams of a better life. Barely surviving on her salary as a security guard, she wants more. When a neighborhood drug dealer tells her that she can make $10,000 for a quick trip to Jamaica to bring back a “small” amount marijuana, she fantasizes about how that could change everything for her and her girlfriend, Scarlet. Checking into their luxury hotel with money in their pockets, they soak up the scenery for the first few ...

Jamaican Getaway - 6

August 01, 2017 21:00 - 48 minutes - 44 MB

Growing up in the South Bronx, 20 year-old Twana “TK” White dreams of a better life. Barely surviving on her salary as a security guard, she wants more. When a neighborhood drug dealer tells her that she can make $10,000 for a quick trip to Jamaica to bring back a “small” amount marijuana, she fantasizes about how that could change everything for her and her girlfriend, Scarlet. Checking into their luxury hotel with money in their pockets, they soak up the scenery for the first few ...

5 | Highway to Hell

July 25, 2017 21:00 - 45 minutes - 41.5 MB

Thomas Hamill was a truck driver in Mississippi in 2003. At 43, he felt that his life lacked adventure. The war had just begun and Thomas learned that the US military was looking for civilian drivers in Iraq. He decided that he needed to give something back to his country and that this was an opportunity that he was not going to miss. He kissed his wife and children good-bye and set off for Camp Anaconda in central Iraq. On April 9, 2004, the one year anniversary of the fall of Bagd...

Highway to Hell - 5

July 25, 2017 21:00 - 45 minutes - 41.5 MB

Thomas Hamill was a truck driver in Mississippi in 2003. At 43, he felt that his life lacked adventure. The war had just begun and Thomas learned that the US military was looking for civilian drivers in Iraq. He decided that he needed to give something back to his country and that this was an opportunity that he was not going to miss. He kissed his wife and children good-bye and set off for Camp Anaconda in central Iraq. On April 9, 2004, the one year anniversary of the fall of Bagd...

4 | Boy Soldiers In Sierra Leone

July 18, 2017 21:00 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MB

When Phil Ashby joined the military, much of the appeal was the adventure and danger. His courage and hard work got him promoted as the youngest Admiral ever in British history. But a desk job was not for him. When the opportunity to work with the United Nations in West Africa came around, he jumped at the chance. In January of 2000, he was posted into territory in Sierra Leone held by the Revolutionary United Front. Sent to disarm the “boy soldiers” under the thumb of the vicious r...

Boy Soldiers In Sierra Leone - 4

July 18, 2017 21:00 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MB

When Phil Ashby joined the military, much of the appeal was the adventure and danger. His courage and hard work got him promoted as the youngest Admiral ever in British history. But a desk job was not for him. When the opportunity to work with the United Nations in West Africa came around, he jumped at the chance. In January of 2000, he was posted into territory in Sierra Leone held by the Revolutionary United Front. Sent to disarm the “boy soldiers” under the thumb of the vicious r...

Busted In Bali - 3

July 11, 2017 21:10 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MB

The story of Chris Parnell. Running horseback riding stables in Kathmandu; happily married with a young child, Chris has the perfect life. When he and his family join a friend on a vacation to this tropical paradise, he is unaware that his good buddy is, in fact, a drug smuggler. Mistakenly charged as an accomplice, Chris begins an 11 year nightmare that costs him much more than he could ever have imagined. New to Locked Up Abroad? Subscribe so you never miss a thrilling tale: http...

3 | Busted In Bali

July 11, 2017 21:10 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MB

The story of Chris Parnell. Running horseback riding stables in Kathmandu; happily married with a young child, Chris has the perfect life. When he and his family join a friend on a vacation to this tropical paradise, he is unaware that his good buddy is, in fact, a drug smuggler. Mistakenly charged as an accomplice, Chris begins an 11 year nightmare that costs him much more than he could ever have imagined. New to Locked Up Abroad? Subscribe so you never miss a thrilling tale: http...

São Paulo Deathtrap - 2

July 11, 2017 21:05 - 49 minutes - 45.7 MB

Los Angeles in 1993. Brendan Cosso is a 23 year-old, carefree party guy, living the high life running the VIP room at one of the hottest clubs in Hollywood. The Roxbury caters to the A-List celebrity crowd and Brendan is at the center of it all. He and his best friends, Sebastian, Julio and Guy are on top of the world. Young, fun and unstoppable. John, a wealthy businessman who frequents the club, offers Brendan $50,000 to go to Brazil and pick up a package. He even cuts Brendan’s f...