04/09/2026
I photographed Neil Woods on commission for The Sunday Times, documenting the story of a man who spent 14 years undercover infiltrating some of the UK’s most violent narcotics networks. During his career, Neil’s investigations contributed to more than 1,000 combined years of prison sentences for those involved in the drugs trade. But the psychological cost of life undercover was immense. While still a serving officer, Neil struggled with anxiety and the pressures of his work, eventually self-medicating with the very substances he had been tasked with policing. Today, Neil is a leading voice for Law Enforcement Action Partnership UK (LEAP UK), campaigning to replace what he describes as the “failed war on drugs” with a framework based on public health, regulation and harm reduction.
Sunday Times