In this new edition, mccoy southeast asian history, u. While a few cases have been investigated and exposed by journalists, the issue continues to remain in the shadows. In the 1980s, ciasupported moujahedeen rebels were heavily involved in drug trafficking heroin. University of california press, 1998 history 279 pages. Cia air operations in laos, 19551974 central intelligence. These claims have led to investigations by the united states government, including hearings and reports by the. In a new book, pablo escobar in fraganti, escobar explains his father worked for the cia selling cocaine to finance the us fight against communism in central america. In 1949, two of chiang kaisheks defeated generals, li wen huan and tuan shi wen, marched their third and fifth route armies. Fonseca is the uncle of former juarez cartel leader, amado carrillo fuentes. The cia was very much involved in the irancontra scandals. Most recently, in 1996, the san jose mercury news published a sensational series on the topic, dark alliance, and then helped destroy its own reporter, gary webb. 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. Oct 27, 2017 fonseca carrillo was involved with drug trafficking since the early 1970s, primarily in ecuador, but later with the cias assistance and allegedly under their direction moved his operations to mexico. Jan 31, 2015 for more than a decade, panamanian strongman manuel noriega was a highly paid cia asset and collaborator, despite knowledge by u.
Deep events and illegally sanctioned violence max weber defined the successful modern state as something that successfully upholds a claim on the monopoly of the legitimate use of violence gewaltmonopol in the enforcement of its order. Whiteout is a thrilling history that stretches from sicily in 1944 to the killing fields of southeast asia, to cia safe houses in greenwich village and san francisco where cia men watched agencypaid prostitutes feed lsd to unsuspecting clients. This was done, of course, in response to the us involvement in wwii under the name of the office of. The connection among air america, the cia, and the drug trade in laos lingers in the public mind. Cia ties to international drug trafficking date to the korean war. Nov 07, 2014 the story of the cias drug empire is the biggest coverup in american history even though the basic facts are available in books like al mccoys the politics of heroin in southeast asia.
Government and top mexican drug cartel exposed as partners. The involvement of the cia with drug traffickers is a story that has slouched into the limelight every decade or so since the creation of the agency. With branches in saudi arabia, europe, southeast asia, south america and the u. Asset seizure is a controversial but effective strategy that allows authorities to confiscate any profits derived from or property used in drug trafficking, including cars, houses, and legal fees paid to defense attorneys.
The cia has a long history of being involved in global drug trade in all parts of the world under the control of the us or where it has considerable influence. James corbett presents the history, documented facts, and cases on the cias involvement and operations in the underworld of drug trafficking, from the corsican mafia in the 1940s through the 1980s contras to the recent zambada niebla case today. This book goes back in time to the late 1940s and 1950s and the murky circumstances under which the cia began to facilitate drug trafficking in south and southeast asia, culminating in afghanistan. We meet oliver north as he plotted with manuel noriega and central american gangsters. Books and investigations on the subject that have received general notice. Opinion the cia drug connectionis as old as the agency. I, stew webb was held as a political prisoner from 19921993 and meet and.
In the 1980s, cia supported moujahedeen rebels were heavily involved in drug trafficking heroin. The ongoing relationship between drug trafficking and the cia has been fairly common knowledge for the past 45 years and was well documented by alfred mccoys, a phd candidate in southeast asian history at yale university, book, the politics of heroin in southeast asia published in 1972. Cia is worlds biggest drug trafficking organization, expert. Dennis dayle, former chief of an elite dea enforcement unit. In fact, more than a few officials, drug lords, and analysts have even said that the cia and other secretive u. Apr 04, 2016 this book goes back in time to the late 1940s and 1950s and the murky circumstances under which the cia began to facilitate drug trafficking in south and southeast asia, culminating in afghanistan. Among its officers were a network of us generals, admirals and cia men, including fommer cia director william colby, who was also one of its lawyers.
History channel tells the secret history of the war on drugs. Cia drug trafficking exposed by political prisoner documentary. Bush with panamas noriega, a decadeslong cia asset and medelin cartelallied cocaine exporter to the. 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. The illegal drug trade or drug trafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs that are subject to drug prohibition laws. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. A history of the cia and drug trafficking fighting the tyranny. Some of the most prominent officials to level charges of cia drug trafficking include the former head of the u. Drug enforcement administration dea, robert bonner. The cia, drugs and the press and millions of other books are.
Dec 03, 1993 cia ties to international drug trafficking date to the korean war. The story of the cias drug empire is the biggest coverup in american history even though the basic facts are available in books like al mccoys the politics of heroin in southeast asia. 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. The insurgents were also involved heavily in drug smuggling. The cia supplied trucks and mules, which were used to transport opium. Maintaining a global perspective, this groundbreaking study details the mechanics of drug trafficking in asia, europe, the middle east.
The united states central intelligence agency cia has been accused of involvement in drug trafficking. From opium to marijuana to cocaine, a variety of substances have been illegally imported, sold and distributed throughout u. History flashback takes a look at historical found footage of all. Writing it has enabled me to have further thoughts about the palo alto incident and particularly the importance of its dateseptember 1971. The very beginnings of what is now known as the central intelligence agency, or cia, started in 1942.
The main cia client was gulbuddin hekmatyar, a leading drug lord, and heroin refiner. Afghanistan is another country with a complicated history of involvement in the opium and heroin industries, much of which implicates the cia. This operation is coordinated by the cia in collaboration with british and australian intelligence services. The drug war left ouane richer than ever, khun sa in a weakened state from which it took him a decade to recover, and the kmt in control of 80 percent of the opium market in burma, according to a. Former cia director, vice president, and chief us drug trafficking fighter george h. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. Cia drug trafficking exposed by political prisoner. It is very clear that the cia has been very much involved with drug dealings, paul said. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs through the use of drug prohibition laws the united nations office on drugs and crimes world drug report 2005. Bush with panamas noriega, a decadeslong cia asset and medellin cartelallied cocaine exporter to the. Africa this diamond gold area made famous in james bonds diamonds are forever a diamond smuggling operation that still goes on financing cias alqaeda. After the war, one of the first covert operations of the new cia was to break the. Jun 26, 2017 cia drug trafficking exposed by political prisoner documentary.
From the cia allowing drug traffickers to flourish in exchange. Jun 22, 2017 in the 1980s, cia supported moujahedeen rebels were heavily involved in drug trafficking heroin. The cobra by frederick forsyth, orange is the new black by piper kerman, the cartel by don winslow, the queen of the s. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies. According to cliff works on you tube, this interview with beau abbott was done by john gentry at stew webbs request in the 1990s and recently loaded on you tube by john gentry of dallas, texas. The real drug lords history of cia involvement in the drug. Ciacontracrack cocaine controversy department of justice. The cia has been one of the worlds biggest illegal drug trafficking organizations in the world for decades, a leading american analyst has warned. Maintaining a global perspective, this groundbreaking study details the mechanics of drug trafficking in asia. The real drug lords history of cia involvement in the drug trade by william blum posted by anita sands hernandez. Jan 14, 2014 in fact, more than a few officials, drug lords, and analysts have even said that the cia and other secretive u. Fonseca carrillo was involved with drug trafficking since the early 1970s, primarily in ecuador, but later with the cias assistance and allegedly under their direction moved his operations to mexico.
Drug trafficking from the book the cias greatest hits by mark zepezauer even before the cia was officially founded, it was intertwined with major drug trafficking organizationsits parent organization, the oss, cooperated with the mafia during world war ii. There is no question in my mind that people affiliated with, or on the payroll of, the cia were involved in drug trafficking, us senator john kerry said at the time, in response to the series. Drug trafficking from the book the cias greatest hits by mark zepezauer even before the cia was officially founded, it was intertwined with major drugtrafficking organizationsits parent organization, the oss, cooperated with the mafia during world war ii. Caught between the schizophrenic nature of us foreign policy with one arm of the executive branch, the cia, engaged in the secret trafficking of drugs for arms whilst the other, the dea, is engaged in stopping it, barry seal who helped build the drug cartels for the cia became a dea informant against the cia. The film american made is a highly fictionalized telling of the story of barry seal, a pilot and medellin cartel drug smuggler who based his. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion. Jul 28, 2012 some of the most prominent officials to level charges of cia drug trafficking include the former head of the u. Drug trafficking from the book the cias greatest hits by mark. Drug trafficking fiction, crimes fiction, books barnes. Pilots of the drug flights home in on the low frequency signals emitted by the beacons to reach their destination at albrook army airfield in panama. The cia supplied truck and mules to carry arms in and on the way out used them to send opium to the refiners. The beacons help cia drug pilots fly from central america to panama at nearsealevel without being detected by high flying u.
Cia drug trafficking evidence ultimate collection topics cia drug trade iran contra politics heroin cocaine oliver north southeast asia bill clinton mena cocaine guns john kerry report contras nwo new world order conspiracy gary webb. The cia has played a crucial role in producing, trafficking, andor selling numerous drugs both in the u. The cia wanted fidel castro dead and, in return for trafficantes help in various assassination plots, was willing to turn a blind eye to the. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. Mar 03, 2018 in the 1980s, the cia supported mujahideen rebels in afganistan via operation cyclone.
Despite the fact that afghanistan supplied approximately 50% of the heroin used by americans, the u. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy. A russian man accused of trying to smuggle about 900 pounds of cocaine from argentina to russia said the cia was behind the massive drugtrafficking operation and. For the related broader allegations of drug trafficking by the cia, see allegations of cia drug trafficking. History of cia involvement in drug trafficking in my 30year history in the drug enforcement administration and related agencies, the major targets of my investigations almost invariably turned out to be working for the cia. Deep history and the global drug connection, part 3. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. Bush with panamas noriega, a decadeslong cia asset and medellin cartel. A history of the cia and drug trafficking fighting the. The central intelligence agency has involved itself in drug trafficking since the spy agency was formed in 1947, journalist and political analyst stephen lendman claims. Deep history and the global drug connection, part 1. 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 cia was behind a massive drug trafficking operation in. Jun 23, 2017 americas war on drugs, history channel theres a huge story to be told, says anthony lappe, about the actual extent of the u. Central intelligence agency a number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. I, stew webb was held as a political prisoner from 19921993 and meet and talked for. A timeline of the more important and credible historical cases is as follows. One of the drugs the cia has focused on for decades is heroin, which is created using opium. In addition, in the mid1980s, any effort to keep the cia out of the world of drug trafficking was made more difficult by the decision of its boss, director casey, to activate what became known as. Eradication of crops was the strategy behind the spraying of paraquat on mexican marijuana crops in the 1970s. The film, according to the credits, was based on christopher robbinss book about the airline, first published in 1979 under the title air america. List of books and articles about drug trafficking online. How the ciaoperated a drug smuggling airline for heroin. Maintaining a global perspective, this groundbreaking study details the mechanics of drug trafficking in asia, europe, the middle east, and south and central america. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion webb, gary, waters. The cia is no stranger to money laundering, performing dangerous tests on unwilling patients, and even committing murder over drugs.
The cocaine that flooded in helped spark a crack explosion in urban america. Broad in scope and extensively documented, cocaine politics shows that. Drug trafficking in the united states dates back to the 19th century. Books and investigations on the subject that have received general notice include works by historian alfred mccoy. Drug trafficking is a gold mine for people who want to raise money in the underground government in order to finance projects that they cant get legitimately. The cia continues trafficking drugs from afghanistan.
Regarding past allegations of cia involvement in drug trafficking, the cia inspector general found no evidence to substantiate the charges that the cia or its employees conspired with or assisted contrarelated organizations or individuals in drug trafficking to raise funds for the contras or for any other purpose. Drug trafficking from the book the cias greatest hits by. In 1986, the agency added some more names to its payroll by creating a new haitian organization, the national intelligence service sin. The cias paul helliwell with the cias michael hand mid and frank nugan right of the nugan hand bank, a laundromat for cia heroin profits. Cia is worlds biggest drug trafficking organization.
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