The office of public affairs opa is the single point of contact for all inquiries about the central intelligence agency cia. Cia admits tolerating contracocaine trafficking in 1980s. Webb doesnt think that anybody got the idea to start a crack epidemic. The biggest surge in the use of the drug occurred during the crack epidemic, between 1984 and 1990, when the drug spread across american cities. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack based on a yearlong investigation, reporter gary webb wrote that during the 1980s the cia helped finance its covert war against nicaraguas leftist government through sales of cutrate cocaine to south central l. That the plot supposedly involved associates of the central intelligence agency selling drugs in black neighborhoods to finance an anticommunist crusade in central america made perfect sense. Crack epidemic united states history 1980s britannica.
New shows examine cias past role in latin americas drug. The crack epidemic coincidently began around the same time when the irancontra scandal was being exposed. The crack epidemic in the united states was a surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across the united states between the early 1980s. Can the cia be held responsible for the crack epidemic. Ciacontracrack cocaine controversy department of justice. The perception that moscow had targeted central america for revolution led the reagan administration to pursue a policy not of containment but of eradication best et al.
The heroin epidemic resembles the days when crack cocaine became the major drug that destroyed communities across the united states and other parts of the world including the caribbean that began in the early 1980s. This led to the us having the highest incarceration rate in the world. Cia admits tolerating contracocaine trafficking in 1980s by robert parry. The igs report cleared the cia of complicity with the innercity crack cocaine trade.
We read every letter, fax, or email we receive, and we will convey your comments to cia officials outside opa as appropriate. When the contra revolution took off in the 1980s, plumlee says he continued to transport arms south for the spy agency and bring cocaine back with him, with the blessing of the u. Gary webb, 49, wrote about cia and crack, found dead. However, the mercury news series contained or at least many readers interpreted it to contain a new sensational claim. A series of expose articles in the san jose mercurynews by reporter gary webb told tales of a drug. The newspaper articles suggested that the united states government had protected blandon and meneses from prosecution and either knowingly permitted them to peddle massive quantities of cocaine to the black residents. Gary webb, the investigative reporter who broke the story about the cias involvement with crack cocaine dealers in southern california in the 1980s has been found dead from a gunshot wound to the head in sacramento.
Central intelligence agency accusations concerning involvement in drug smuggling much of what follows must stand as utter drival in the absence of any real evidence to the contrary. The crack epidemic dramatically increased the number of americans addicted to cocaine. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come. Agency to receive the cocaine which decimated black communities in the 1980s. In 1996 the agency was accused of being a crack dealer. Around the same timethe early 1980sa letter between attorney general. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies. The heroin epidemic resembles the days when crack cocaine became the major drug that destroyed communities across the united states and other parts of the world including the caribbean that began in the early 1980 s. Did the cia really introduce cocainecrack to the u. Okay, so then how involved was the cia in importing the most important ingredient cocaine. This is a must read for every person searching for answers to why crack cocain flooded our country seemingly unbridled, into our country. It has long been known that the cia has illegally toppled foreign governments.
Dark alliance how the cia created the crack epidemic in. The reagan administration and the cia also collaborated with nicaraguan cocaine traffickers to support the contras led to the crack epidemic of the 1980s. Even if a major investigation into the allegations is done, it is. According to the stories, the cia and its operatives used crack cocainesold via the. No evidence suggests that the drug trafficking and money laundering operations in which gomez claimed involvement were in any way related to cia or the contra movement, the house report said.
The subject of todays hearings involves the allegations of cia in volvement in the u. The cia smuggled drugs from colombia which headed to nicaragua via the cia and those drugs were smuggles into the u. Your worst fears are true the cia did help to smuggle drugs into american ghettos, says an investigative reporter, webb was asked whether his story had confirmed the suspicion within the black community that the crack cocaine epidemic might be part of a. The crack epidemic in the united states was a surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across the united states between the early 1980s and the early 1990s. Discuss cia involvement in the nicaraguan revolution. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia.
Others however argued that this is not true and that its some. Colonel ollie north and barry seal are just the tip of the iceberg. The high amount of people in jail is a direct result of the crack epidemic, which was started by the cia. Dark alliance how the cia created the crack epidemic in the 1980s earlier one of our younger duers asked why reagan was so bad. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. Can the cia be held responsible for the crack epidemic that swept across the united states in the 1980s. The reagan administration and the cia also collaborated with nicaraguan cocaine traffickers to support the contras led to the crack epidemic. The cia dropped crack into the inner cities in the 80s.
It was not orchestrated by the contras or the cia or any single drug ring. The cia, afghanistans poppy fields and americas growing heroin epidemic. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency cia supported cocaine trafficking into the u. He received bitter opposition from the mainstream media just like dan rather did which was portrayed in the movie truth with cate blanchett and. In the 1980s, all of us could count the number of people dead. The crack epidemic the history of crack cocaine drug. Who in the world in the cia organization is going to.
A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yes. Can the cia be held responsible for the crack epidemic that swept across the united states in the. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum. Clair who write for the nation lay it all out in their book whiteout. Did the cia play a role in launching the crackcocaine epidemic. This resulted in a number of social consequences, such as increasing crime and violence in american inner city neighborhoods, as well as a resulting backlash in the form of tough on crime policies.
Even ross saw cocaine at 19 in 79, so it was established well before the crack epidemic of the 80s, and likely without cia assistance. The crack epidemic had particularly devastating effects. Essay help the perception that moscow had targeted central america for revolution led the reagan administration to pursue a policy not of containment but of eradication best et al. Undoubtedly, agents of the cia and dea, and most certainly oliver north and his contra operation were. Crack epidemic, the significant increase in the use of crack cocaine, or crack, in the united states during the early 1980s. Evidence does not support allegations of cia participation in drug.
In this case, the cias activities led to the crack epidemic in americas inner cities, which caused american citizens much pain and misery. The cia certainly assisted the contras, and the contras had known cocaine ties. This is a stunning revelation into the crack epidemic perpitrated in part by the reagan administration era. Back in 1996, gary webb of the san jose mercury news broke a story stating not only that the nicaraguan contras supported by the united states in a rebellion against their leftleaning government were involved in the us crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s, but also that the cia knew and turned a blind eye to the operation. The crack epidemic changed life in the american city beyond recognition in the 1980s, and understanding the lingering effects of that transformation is the responsibility of those who hope to learn from the past or understand the plight of the addicted, who come from every walk of life. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. The now widelyknown cia involvement in drugandarms smuggling through the tiny mena, ark. Evidence does not support allegations of cia participation. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb in 1996, journalist gary webb began looking into links between nicaraguas drugrunning contra rebels and the cia. Knowledge of drug trafficking and the contras the national security archive obtained the handwritten notebooks of oliver north, the national security council aide who helped run the contra war and other reagan administration covert operations, through a freedom of information act lawsuit filed in 1989. Congress passed laws that created a 100 to 1 sentencing disparity for the possession or trafficking of crack when compared to.
The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy. A brief history of cia involvement with drug trafficking. The series never reported direct cia involvement, although many readers. The allegations, reported in the san jose mercury news in august 1996, posited that the cia was complicit in drug trafficking to the united states. The cia, afghanistans poppy fields and americas growing. God, if we just had more kids his age asking this question in our schools. He wrote that the huge influx of cocaine happened to come at just the time that streetlevel drug. The crack epidemic coincidentally began around the same time when the irancontra scandal was being exposed. Crack has destroyed families and, in many ways, destroyed communities, which still suffer the effects of crime, druguse, and incarceration. Crack cocaine was popularized because of its affordability, its immediate euphoric effect, and its high profitability.
Timothy alexander guzman, silent crow news the heroin epidemic resembles the days when crack cocaine became the major drug that destroyed communities across the united states and other parts of the world including the caribbean that began in the early 1980s. This is the true story about the ciacontra relationship. According to the series, blandon was the johnny appleseed of crack in californiadistributing thousands of kilos of colombian cocaine to black dealers like ricky ross. The actions by the cia and reagan administration are credited with sparking the crack epidemic by flooding the drug market with an unprecedented amount of highquality cocaine at a low cost. While much of the ciacontradrug story had been revealed years ago in the press and in. Blandon and meneses were said to have used their drug trafficking profits to help fund the contra armys war effort. The cocaine that flooded in helped spark a crack explosion in urban america. Allegations of a cia connection to crack cocaine epidemic.
It started when webb wrote a series of three articles for the san jose mercury news in 1996 dubbed dark alliance. These claims have led to investigations by the united states government, including hearings and reports by the united states house of representatives, senate, department of justice, and the cias office of the inspector general. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. It refuted charges that cia officials knew that their nicaraguan allies were dealing drugs. Plumlee flew weapons into latin america for decades for the cia.