A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was. For the cia contra cocaine connection they include the invocation of national security, the limiting of testimony by narrow questions, limited mandates for investigative bodies and, in the case of the select iran contra committee hearings, the appointment of a cia connected lead investigator. 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. The ciacontracrack connection, 10 years later reporter gary webb was the victim of his own hyperbole, but he never got credit for what he got right. Crack in the system official trailer 2014 marc levin cia contra documentary hd. Jul 21, 2015 englishnat a former nicaraguan rebel commander flatly denied allegations tuesday, that the cia was connected to cocaine trafficking in order to fund the contra army. Dissecting the connections let us now return to the four questions we asked at the outset. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency. Apr 26, 2007 the series discussed drug rings in california and their alleged connections to the central intelligence agency ciabacked nicaraguan contra resistance in the 1980s. It is believed that seal was subsequently murdered by the medellin cartel, on order of oliver north and the bushes, to prevent him from testifying about his activities. The cia contra crack connection, 10 years later reporter gary webb was the victim of his own hyperbole, but he never got credit for what he got right. With the aid of the cia, millions of dollars from the sale of crack cocaine were used to fund the nicaraguan contras during the reagan years, according to an investigative series published last month in the san jose mercury news. Gary webb linked the cia to americas introduction to crack cocaine.
For the ciacontracocaine connection they include the invocation of national security, the limiting of testimony by narrow questions, limited mandates for investigative bodies and, in the case of the select irancontra committee hearings, the appointment of. The contra story october 8, 1998 the inspector generals report of investigation regarding allegations of connections between cia and the contras in cocaine trafficking to the united states. While the agencys relations with asian opium lords were lost in the mists of faroff mountains, rep. He began his career working for newspapers in kentucky and ohio, winning numerous awards, and building a strong reputation for investigative writing. The reagan administration and the cia also collaborated with nicaraguan cocaine traffickers to support the contras led to the crack epidemic of the 1980s. Stories had previously been written about the contras alleged ties to drug trafficking. He criticized the stories because they strongly implied cia knowledge of contra connections to u. Allegations of zavalas connections to the contras and the cia.
Dea agents decade long battle to expose cia contra crack story. The introduction to the first installment of the series read. A threepage report from the administration said wednesday that the contra connections to the drug traffickers occurred in 1984 and 1985, when the rebels were. These pages provide the reader a brief glimpse into how the media both within webbs paper and at larger media outlets responded to the ciacontracrack connection his reporting revealed.
Gary webb, american investigative journalist who wrote a threepart series for the san jose mercury news in 1996 on connections between the central intelligence agency cia, the u. Freshlyreleased cia documents show how the largest u. John singletons snowfall series is a crack origin story. A cia official who served in central america told the inspector general, yes. The charges of cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking were revived in 1996, when a newspaper series by reporter gary webb in the san jose mercury news claimed that the trafficking had played an important role in the creation of the crack cocaine drug problem in the united states. The cia, the contras and crack cocaine albion monitor. Webbs series led to three federal investigations, none of. Justice report finds no cia link to crack cocaine trafficking. Cia did make contact with prosecutors in the zavala prosecution in order to protect what cia believed was an operational equity, i. Ciacontra connection recent central american history.
A threepage report from the administration said wednesday that the contra connections to the drug traffickers occurred in 1984 and 1985, when the rebels were particularly hard pressed for. How the cia watched over the destruction of gary webb. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. Ciacontracrack cocaine controversy table of contents. Ricky ross street connections, ability to obtain cocaine at low prices and deals that allowed him to receive drugs from contracia operatives with no money upfront helped him to undercut other. Ironically, it was the title and graphic of the story dark alliance and a picture of a crack pipe superimposed over the cia logo that most strongly implied a direct cia connection to. The ciacontracrack conspiracy, however, deserves an upgrade. It reveals truths about the central american cold war and the war on drugs that are difficult to reconcile with the professed morality of such wars. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies.
The jonestown massacre on november 18 1978, 9 people died in jonestown, a small compound carved out of the jungles of guyana, a small country on the northeast coast of south america. Secret ties between cia, drugs revealed the final call. Freeway ricky ross and the cia cocaine conspiracy sanjiv b. The cia contra cocaine connection, with new statistical and epidemiological evidence of u. Allegations of connections between cia and the contras in cocaine trafficking to the united states, cia, 1998 the full extent of norths complicity in cocaine trafficking will never be known. A cia official who served in central america told the inspector general, yes there was derogatory stuff on the contras. The igs report cleared the cia of complicity with the innercity crack cocaine trade. Englishnat a former nicaraguan rebel commander flatly denied allegations tuesday, that the cia was connected to cocaine trafficking in order to fund the contra army. A public uproar, especially among urban african americans. Gary stephen webb august 31, 1955 december 10, 2004 was an american investigative journalist. It refuted charges that cia officials knew that their nicaraguan allies were dealing drugs. How the cia s crack cocaine controversy destroyed journalist gary webb, will be published in october. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. William barr and the irancontra scandal the millennium report.
The ciacontracocaine connection, with new statistical and epidemiological evidence of u. Titled dark alliance, the series linked drug smuggling by ciatrained contras to the crack epidemic that has ravaged america. Cia funded contras with crack sales with the aid of the cia, millions of dollars from the sale of crack cocaine were used to fund the nicaraguan contras during the reagan years, according to an investigative series published last month in the san jose mercury news. A simple phone call concerning an unexceptional pending drug trial turned into a massive conspiracy involving the nicaraguan contra rebels, l. The five were allegedly working with known drug trafficker jorge morales. While much of the cia contra drug story had been revealed years ago in the press and in congressional hearings, the mercury news series added a crucial missing link. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency cia supported cocaine trafficking into the u. The san jose mercury news articles spurred renewed interest in the subject of drug trafficking in support of the contras, particularly the allegation that certain contra supporters described in the articles trafficked drugs with the knowledge and support of the cia and were responsible for the crack explosion in southern california and. In addition to funding the war in central america, the series notes that the cias drug operation also brought misery and bloodshed to urban america, as. The cia contra crack conspiracy, however, deserves an upgrade. Yet it speaks precisely to how the period drama about the rise of crack cocaine. While much of the ciacontradrug story had been revealed years ago in the press and in congressional hearings, the mercury news series added a crucial missing link. 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 army. Cia deep cover agent pilot chip tatum, a key irancontra player who flew drugs into mena and little rock in arkansas, worked alongside cia pilot and drug smuggler barry seal.
Report of investigation central intelligence agency. The movie, kill the messenger, is forcing the mainstream u. 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. Oig analysis of allegations regarding blandons and meneses relationship with the contras and the cia. The cia knew, too, that the contracocaine taint had spread into president reagans national security council and into the cia through cubanamerican anticommunists who were working for two drugconnected seafood companies, ocean hunter of. The ciacontra connection is very important for a few reasons. Us concedes contras linked to drugs, but denies leadership. Cia admits tolerating contracocaine trafficking in 1980s by. Cia admits tolerating contracocaine trafficking in 1980s. How the cias crackcocaine controversy destroyed journalist gary webb, will be published in october.
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. The series discussed drug rings in california and their alleged connections to the central intelligence agency ciabacked nicaraguan contra resistance in the 1980s. Cia deep cover agent pilot chip tatum, a key iran contra player who flew drugs into mena and little rock in arkansas, worked alongside cia pilot and drug smuggler barry seal. Contra leaders say cia not involved in drug sales november 26, 1996 deutch confronts angry l. First exposed by webb in 1996 in the san jose mercury news, and then fleshed out in his book, dark alliance, the allegations are not based on a jumble of spurious and imagined connections, but on a strong and plausible chain of evidence. Most of the nations elite newspapers at first ignored the story. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion.
While the department of justices investigative efforts suffered from lack of coordination and insufficient resources, these efforts were not affected by anyones suspected. By nick schou, nick schou is an editor for oc weekly. The courageous journalist was hounded to death for linking the crack epidemic with thenpresident ronald reagans drive to overthrow the sandinista government. For example, on december 20, 1985, an associated press article claimed.
Ciacontracrack cocaine controversy department of justice. In another instance, the cia received allegations that five members of the democratic revolutionary alliance adren those fighting along the border of nicaragua and costa rica were 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. In july 1995, san jose mercurynews reporter gary webb found the big one the blockbuster story every journalist secretly dreams about without even looking for it.
Books and investigations on the subject that have received general notice include works by historian alfred mccoy. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy. Jul 23, 1998 contra leaders say cia not involved in drug sales november 26, 1996 deutch confronts angry l. Cia and the crack scare, and webbs description of the contras as the cias army. William barr and the irancontra scandal the millennium. The series alleged that the three had relationships with the contras and the cia, and that law.
Defense motion to conduct depositions in costa rica. Cia director john deutch declared that he found no connection whatsoever between the cia and cocaine traffickers. San diegoricky donnell ross, 36, was a trailblazer in the crack. John singletons snowfall series is a crack origin story that doesnt ignore the ciacontra connection. Dea agents decade long battle to expose ciacontracrack story. Hired by the san jose mercury news, webb contributed to the papers pulitzer prize winning. If youve heard about the ciacontracrack allegations, its probably because of gary webb, who in august 1996 authored several stories for the san jose mercury news. On september 3, 1996, director of central intelligence dci john deutch asked the cia inspector general to investigate these allegations of connections between cia, the contras. Oliver north worked with cocaine traffickers to arm. Oig analysis of allegations regarding blandons and meneses relationship with the contras and the cia v. Cia funded contras with crack sales albion monitor. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward. The united states central intelligence agency cia has been accused of involvement in drug trafficking.