Leroy Smith was a member of the African Crew prison gang in the UK during the early 2000s.
Smith became a hit man and a drug dealer for the African Crew during his time as a category A inmate in the Full Sutton, Frankland, Long Lartin, and Whitemoor high-security prisons. He speaks about serving 20 years in prison for the shooting of two Metropolitan Police constables in Brixton, South London, during the early 1990s.
Smith speaks with Business Insider about the violence and weapons within the prison system. He talks about smuggling contraband, selling drugs, and being a hit man. He covers staff corruption, such as guards accepting bribery, as well as the role of some media outlets in sensationalizing prison-gang culture in the UK and promoting the narrative of "Muslim gangs" in British jails.
After his release from prison, Smith became a mentor and a public speaker. He is the CEO of the community charity Out of the Box and the author of "Out of the Box: The Story of Leroy Smith."
