New shows examine cias past role in latin americas drug trade. 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. Ricky ross was apprehended after a drug sting by the dea which was organized by. Plumlee flew weapons into latin america for decades for the cia. Around the same timethe early 1980sa letter between attorney general. This was prompted by the journalist gary webbs report in the san jose mercury news alleging that the cia was behind the 1980s crack epidemic. While the cia s heavy involvement in the drug trade, and especially the crack cocaine trade, has been well documented by scholars such as dr. How one journalist linked the cia to the crack epidemic. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. Even when it veers off into questionable territory such as the role of the government in creating the crack epidemic of the 1980s, americas war on drugs performs the invaluable function of. The crack epidemic had particularly devastating effects crack epidemic, the significant increase in the use of crack cocaine, or crack, in the united states during the early 1980s. Cooper was a journalist for the village voice, who had received acclaim for a 1987 story about the crack epidemic in detroit titled kids killing kids. An august, 1996, series in the san jose mercury news by reporter gary webb linked the origins of crack cocaine in california to the contras, a guerrilla force backed by the reagan administration that attacked nicaraguas sandinista government during the 1980s. The cocaine that flooded in helped spark a crack explosion in urban america.
Onetime crack cocaine kingpin freeway ricky ross, whose case renewed a national controversy about alleged cia involvement in drug dealing, was sentenced to life in prison by a judge who said. The articles further alleged that these individuals had used the proceeds from. New shows examine cias past role in latin americas drug. Even if a major investigation into the allegations is done, it is unlikely to quell the certainty among many african americans that the government played a role in bringing the crack epidemic. Also in the 1980s, the us supported the contras in their fight against the sandanista government in nicaragua. 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 story behind the crack explosion, gary webbs series reported that in addition to waging a proxy war for the u. Cia admits tolerating contracocaine trafficking in 1980s. While much of the ciacontradrug story had been revealed years ago in the press and 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. 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 cia s office of the inspector general. Outraged at cia role in drug trade duke university.
This led to the us having the highest incarceration rate in the world. While the cias heavy involvement in the drug trade, and especially the crack cocaine trade, has been well documented by scholars such as dr. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. The uk reported an increase of 74% in seizures of crack cocaine in drug raids between 2000 and 2006. Oct 11, 2014 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. 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. 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. Opium became a key funding mechanism for the insurgency, and as peter dale scott explained on the eyeopener earlier this year, the correlation between cia involvement in the region and increasing opium production was not coincidental. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum. Who in the world in the cia organization is going to. The crack epidemic the history of crack cocaine drug. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum rt.
Sep 20, 2019 the secret flow of drugs and money, webb reported, had a direct link to the crack epidemic that devastated californias most vulnerable african american neighborhoods. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. Conspiracy theories can often ring true the washington post. Allegations of a cia connection to crack cocaine epidemic.
The crack epidemic coincidently began around the same time when the irancontra scandal was being exposed. Cia and contras cocaine trafficking in the us intelligence. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yesand the charge. It refuted charges that cia officials knew that their nicaraguan allies were dealing drugs. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yesand the charge, reviving old rumors about the agencys complicity in cocaine smuggling during the reagan administrations covert war in nicaragua, has some africanamerican leaders ready. 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. Even if a major investigation into the allegations is done, it is. He wrote that the huge influx of cocaine happened to come at just the time that streetlevel drug. Later, gomez admitted in a cia polygraph that he participated in his brothers drug business in florida. After reading about gary webb exposing the cias potential complicity in l. Crack epidemic, the significant increase in the use of crack cocaine, or crack, in the united states during the early 1980s. The series never reported direct cia involvement, although many readers.
The drugs the cia let into the country contributed to the deaths of many africanamericans in the ghetto, these drugs were part of the crack epidemic. The cia was complicit, but not directly involved in the cocaine trafficking of the 1980s which led directly to the crack epidemic. Crack cocaine was popularized because of its affordability, its immediate euphoric effect, and its high profitability. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking military wiki. The cias collusion with anticommunist drug smugglers beginning in the 1960s played a direct role in the drug epidemic of the 1980s that was used to justify president reagans 1986 crime bill. Then take a look at 37 startling photos of 1980s new york city, when crack was king.
He was the journalist who wrote a famousor infamous1996 series for the san jose mercury news that maintained a ciasupported drug ring. Cia didnt fuel crack epidemic, newspaper says washington. Introduction in august 1996, the san jose mercury news published a series of articles, entitled dark alliance. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. Jul 03, 2017 fxs snowfall sets stage for 80s crack epidemic. However, the mercury news series contained or at least many readers interpreted it to contain a new sensational claim. Although the mercury news later claimed that it had not made the allegation directly, the suggestion of government or cia involvement in the crack epidemic spawned calls for investigations about the claims suggested by the mercury news articles. Did the cia play a role in launching the crack cocaine epidemic. Gary webb and the san jose mercury news have performed a tremendous community service by publishing the excellent threepart series aug. The second focus of the documentary is the irancontra scandal and the cias alleged role in the crack boom of the 1980s.
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. Cia didnt fuel crack epidemic, newspaper says washington post rebuts findings of august series that targeted the contra connection. 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. Peter dale scott at least since the irancontra hearings in the 1980s, the mass media are only now beginning to take notice. In the 1980s, all of us could count the number of people dead. Ricky ross was apprehended after a drug sting by the dea which was organized by blandon, after he was captured by the dea. Did the cia play a role in launching the crackcocaine epidemic. On august 18, 1996, the san jose mercury news published the first installment of a threepart series of articles concerning crack cocaine, the central intelligence agency cia, and the nicaraguan contra. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies.
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. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency cia supported cocaine trafficking into the u. Both the cia report and the house report acknowledged that a cia contractor known by the pseudonym ivan gomez was involved in drug trafficking. 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. By 2002, the united kingdom was experiencing their own crack epidemic, with the number of crack addicts seeking help climbing nearly 50% that year. Mchenry claims that the films main character, nino brown.
According to the stories, the cia and its operatives used crack cocainesold via the. New jack city eats its young, the article was one of the first exposes of the effects of the crack epidemic on innercity communities. Snowfall is a onehour drama set against the infancy of the crack cocaine epidemic and its ultimate radical impact on the culture as we know it. Heres how the crack epidemic brought a city to its knees. 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.
The secret flow of drugs and money, webb reported, had a direct link to the crack epidemic that devastated californias most vulnerable african american neighborhoods. 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. The crack epidemic had particularly devastating effects within the african american communities of the. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking military. The igs report cleared the cia of complicity with the innercity crack cocaine trade. In the early 1980s, the cia sent gomez to costa rica to oversee the contra operation. New shows examine the cias past role in latin americas.
Crack has destroyed families and, in many ways, destroyed communities, which still suffer the effects of crime, druguse, and incarceration. There has, on the other hand, been a lot of conjecture. Here are 10 things to know about gary webb and his report that linked the cia to crack cocaine. The stories echoed decadeold allegations about drug trafficking by some contras, but triggered a national outcry by black political leaders and other activists. How one journalist linked the cia to the crack epidemic and. He acknowledges theres no proof of cia involvement in contrarelated drug smuggling, but what i can safely buy into is that they knew it. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward. 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. Acting cia director robert gates sent a 1987 memorandum to cia deputy director for operations clair george stating that it was imperative that cia officers cease relations with contras who were even suspected of involvement in narcotics trafficking, according to the hitz report. Aug 31, 2018 the cias collusion with anticommunist drug smugglers beginning in the 1960s played a direct role in the drug epidemic of the 1980s that was used to justify president reagans 1986 crime bill. And even when they do take notice, most of the sheeplike journalists and.
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