In the 1970s, the vibrant and dangerous landscape of New York becomes the backdrop for an intense battle between organized crime and the law. Frank Lucas, a Vietnam War veteran, returns home determined to rise in the drug trafficking world. With exceptional cleverness and insatiable ambition, Frank develops an ingenious plan to import heroin directly from Vietnam, evading competitors and authorities. Using his ingenuity, he establishes an empire based on the purity of his product, quickly earning the respect (and fear) of the community.
Meanwhile, the police struggle to dismantle this new threat; among them is Detective Richie Roberts, an honest officer determined to eradicate corruption in his department. With his own moral code, Richie becomes Frank's main enemy, fighting not only against drug trafficking but also against the shadows of himself that emerge as he delves into a world where power and money corrupt even the best.
As both men face off in a cat-and-mouse game, the lines between good and evil blur. Tension rises, and the lives of both men and those around them are at stake, leading to an explosive outcome that tests their loyalty, morality, and the essence of what it means to be a "man of honor."