Iran contra crack epidemic cia

Freeway rick ross on how he introduced crack to the u. Previous investigations concerning allegations of contra drug trafficking. The cia contra story can only feed longstanding rumors in black communities that the u. How the cia watched over the destruction of gary webb. Titled dark alliance, the series linked drug smuggling by cia trained contras to the crack epidemic that has ravaged america. Dark alliance blew the lid off the cia s ties to americas crack market by showing for the first time not just the agencys role in turning a blind eye to nicaraguan contras smuggling cocaine to. Jose bueso rosa reagan administration officials interceded on behalf of jose bueso rosa, a honduran general who was heavily involved with the cia s contra operations and faced trial for his role in a massive drug shipment to the united states.

Did the cia play a role in launching the crackcocaine epidemic. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. 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. Did the cia play a role in launching the crack cocaine epidemic. Drug trafficking was a much less convoluted method of skirting the congressional ban on funding the contras, and the cia s inspector general found that in the early years after congress cut off contra funding, the cia had alerted congress about the allegations of drug trafficking. Cia involvement in trafficking is usually alleged to be connected to the contra war in nicaragua and the iran contra affair during the reagan administration. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yesand the charge. According to the stories, the cia and its operatives used crack cocainesold via. These plans were apparently aborted when the iran contra scandal broke in november 1986. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. News that central intelligence agency operatives were tied to the crack cocaine epidemic has prompted calls that the oliver northrun iran contra scandal be reopened to discover. 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.

Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. How john kerry exposed the contracocaine scandal salon. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward.

Drug trafficking was a much less convoluted method of skirting the congressional ban on funding the contras, and the cias inspector general found that in the early years after congress cut off contra funding, the cia. Irrefutable evidence that the the us government was responsible for the catastrophic crack cocaine epidemic. How john kerry exposed the contra cocaine scandal derided by the mainstream press and taking on reagan at the height of his popularity, the. Freshlyreleased cia documents show how the largest u. Along with a leading role in the irancontra scandal in which north helped. At times, the mercury news sent conflicting messages that confounded attempts to correct misconceptions about the article. The series follows the stories of several characters whose lives are fated to intersect including cia operative teddy mcdonald who helps to secure guns for the contras. Along with a leading role in the iran contra scandal in which north helped sell arms to iran to fund the. In this episode, chris calton explains how the potent mix of politicans and. The history of the iran contra affair has a deeprooted connection to the crack explosion.

Allegations of cocaine trafficking by contras also arose during the investigation conducted by independent counsel lawrence walsh into the irancontra affair. The series revolves around the first crack epidemic and its impact on the culture of the city. Bush, reagan let drugs flow free to us from nicaragua. Ciacontracrack cocaine controversy doj oig department of. Freeway ricky ross, a former us street legend, who as a drug dealer was once responsible for flooding californias streets with most of its. During the 1980s, the war on drugs became defined by cocaine and crack. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy. Still, the fantastic story of the cia injecting crack into ghettos had taken hold. In 1986 its spokesman acknowledged that funds from sales of cocaine smuggled into the us had helped fund the contra rebels, but said that the smuggling was not authorized by the us.