10 Greatest Undercover Operations This World Has Ever Seen

Our idea of an undercover operation has been shaped by the films. When we hear about some undercover operation we somehow start imagining about high-speed car chases and thrilling encounters. Interestingly, contrary to this fact, most of the undercover operations are carried out as quietly as possible without making much fuss.

Here are some of the most daring undercover operations ever carried out.
 

1. The Iranian Hostage Crisis

The CIA launched an operation to safely extricate the diplomats using a fake movie as the cover. CIA operative Tony Mendez entered Iran undercover and provided forged documents to the diplomats.

If you have watched Argo, then know already know most of the story. The crisis happened in Iran when some people seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took almost 20 people as hostages. Tensions between America and Iran kept growing day and day, thus making life difficult for all the Americans in the country.

When the American government failed to end the crisis with Iran. An undercover mission was launched and even Canada provided assistance. Tony Mendez provided the diplomats everything from clothing to a full background story.

The success of the mission lies in the fact that every single person was able to escape successfully without getting caught. Making this event as one of the most successful undercover operations in CIA’s history.

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2. Entebbe Rescue

Not only did the Mossad agents dress as Ugandan soldiers. One of them was even made to look like the president of Uganda, Idi Amin. They created a perfect replica of Amin’s motorcade.

I guess, there is barely anyone of you, who has not heard about Mossad. The Israel’s intelligence agency is considered as the best in the world. So, it is quite unlikely that they won’t feature in a list of greatest undercover operations of all time. The Entebbe rescue mission is perhaps Mossad’s most successful mission till date.

A passenger plane full of Israelis is hijacked and landed in Entebbe, Uganda. Mossad quietly gets into Uganda dressed as Ugandan soldiers.

They approach the airport and the hijackers think it’s Amin himself. The limos are actually packed to the roof with soldiers ready to strike with machine guns and silencers.

They storm the airport, kill every hijacker and 45 Ugandan soldiers, grab the hostages, and fly out before anybody as any clue. And that was not all, they also blew off almost 30 of Idi Amen’s jets.

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3. Operation Valkyrie

Colonel von Stauffenberg entered a conference room, moved up close to Hitler and placed the briefcase containing the bomb on the floor beside the German leader.

Though the operation ultimately failed in achieving its main objective, yet, it still remains one of the most talked about undercover operations of all time. A man called Colonel von Stauffenberg went undercover and became a close associate of Hitler. His main motive was to assassinate Hitler but it had to be called off a number of times.

Eventually, on the 20th July 1944, the operation was carried out. A few minutes later, after placing the briefcase, he left the room. Unfortunately, someone found the briefcase in his way and moved it to the other side of a heavy table leg away from Hitler. When the bomb exploded, Hitler escaped with an injured hand and damaged eardrums.

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4. The infiltration of Eli Cohen

The Mossad agent, almost became the defense minister of Syria, before eventually getting caught.

If one wants to learn how to go undercover then one should learn it from this man. Eli cohen was actually a Mossad agent who not only got into Syria but also into the Syrian defense establishment. Unfortunately, he was finally caught and sentenced to death.

It is said that it was only because of him that Israel was able to capture Golan Heights in 1967.

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5. Operation Iceman

Agent Polifrone pretended to be a hit man to get close to Kuklinski and hired him for a fake murder.

This story has every recipe which can make it a mind-blowing film. Richard Kuklinski was a mafia hit man, who claimed to have killed up to 250 people in his criminal career.

The police had failed every time, they tried to catch him. The responsibility of catching fell on the shoulders of agent Dominick Polifrone.

When they met, Kuklinski was given cyanide to carry out the planned murder. Polifrone recorded every conversation, and Kuklinski was arrested not long after their exchange and was charged with 5 counts of murder.

Agent Polifrone courage finally paid off.

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6. Operation Wrath of God

Covert Israeli assassination units were employed which killed all the suspected conspirators across Europe.

Another high profile undercover operation, another one featuring Mossad. I guess, by now you have got conclusive proof – why Mossad is considered the best in the World.

The Operation Wrath Of Gold started after 11 Israeli athletes were murdered during the 1972 Munich Olympics by a terrorist group called Black September. Mossad decided to seek revenge.

Though a lot of people criticized this operation but for Mossad, the mission was a success.

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7. Operation Neptune Spear

The SEALS split into two groups, one group taking to the main house. This group found Bin Laden on the third floor, unarmed, and shot him twice, one hit the left side of his head, another hit his chest.

I guess there is barely anyone who has not heard about this operation. You might very well argue that this operation was exactly a kind of undercover operation, yet, it features on the list because of the two important reasons. First, the high profile target of the operation and the second, the total secrecy that was involved in the operation.

The attack on Osama Bin Laden’s safe house in Bilal town, Abbottabad, Pakistan, occurred at 1:00 a.m. when the walls were breached by around 20 Navy SEALS using explosives.

After the raid, U.S. forces took bin Laden’s body to Afghanistan for identification, then buried it at sea within 24 hours of his death.

There is barely any operation that was carried out so successfully in such short time.

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8. Operation Mr. Big

It is a time-tested undercover tactic, where agents try to befriend the target and tries to gain their trust. Eventually, the target meets a fake gang leader nicknamed “Mr. Big”.

Unlike most of the operations which are an one-time thing, mission Mr. Big is something that the Canadian RCMP has carried out several times.

Mr. Big presents the target with an ultimatum: tell them the truth about the crimes they are being investigated for, or be kicked out of the gang. With audio and video recording devices in place, they coerce the target’s confession.

So, if you are in Canada watch out for – Mr. Big.

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9. Joran Van Der Sloot

Crime reporter and television host Peter R. de Vries befriended Sloot and videotaped him. De Vries aired the recordings on his show, Pauw & Witteman, to some 6 million viewers.

This one stands out for a simple reason that unlike most other undercover operations, this one was carried out by a single individual. He made him confess his involvement in various crimes, including the disappearance of the American teenager.

One such tape revealed Sloot discussing the illegal trafficking of sex workers in Thailand.

Sloot was sentenced to 28 years in prison for the death of Flores.

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10. The Rachel Hoffman case

She was ordered by the police to set up a deal between two male dealers for cocaine. With a wire in her purse recording everything.

She was a young girl in her 20s, who was arrested with marijuana and ecstasy pills. She was facing jail time and was given the option to become a police informant and spy. Thus began her undercover sting.

Interestingly, police lost track of the car halfway and even Hoffman disappeared. Her body was recovered two days later. It is assumed that the people found out about her undercover sting. This story could give any Hollywood film a run for its money.

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They say life is stranger than fiction and these high profile undercover operations seem to prove so.

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