A Brief History of CIA Involvement In The Drug Trade
By William Blum
This Entry Was Posted on Wed., September 3rd, 2008
Filed Under: Government Evil.
Source: CSun.edu
Courtesy Of Revolution Radio
1947 to 1951, FRANCE
According to Alfred W. McCoy in The Politics of Heroin in Southeast Asia, CIA
arms, money, and disinformation enabled Corsican criminal syndicates in
Marseille to wrestle control of labor unions from the Communist Party. The
Corsicans gained political influence and control over the docks — ideal
conditions for cementing a long-term partnership with mafia drug distributors,
which turned Marseille into the postwar heroin capital of the Western world.
Marseille’s first heroin laboratones were opened in 1951, only months after the
Corsicans took over the waterfront.
EARLY 1950s, SOUTHEAST ASIA
The Nationalist Chinese army, organized by the CIA to wage war against
Communist China, became the opium barons of The Golden Triangle (parts of
Burma, Thailand and Laos), the world’s largest source of opium and heroin. Air
America, the ClA’s principal airline proprietary, flew the drugs all over
Southeast Asia. (See Christopher Robbins, Air America, Avon Books, 1985,
chapter 9)
1950s To Early 1970s, INDOCHINA
During U.S. military involvement in Laos and other parts of Indochina, Air
America flew opium and heroin throughout the area. Many Gl’s in Vietnam became
addicts. A laboratory built at CIA headquarters in northern Laos was used to
refine heroin. After a decade of American military intervention, Southeast Asia
had become the source of 70 percent of the world’s illicit opium and the major
supplier of raw materials for America’s booming heroin market.
1973-80, AUSTRALIA
The Nugan Hand Bank of Sydney was a CIA bank in all but name. 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. With branches in
Saudi Arabia, Europe, Southeast Asia, South America and the U.S., Nugan Hand
Bank financed drug trafficking, money laundering and international arms
dealings. In 1980, amidst several mysterious deaths, the bank collapsed, $50
million in debt. (See Jonathan Kwitny, The Crimes of Patriots: A True Tale of
Dope, Dirty Money and the CIA, W.W. Norton & Co., 1987.)
1970s and 1980s, PANAMA
For more than a decade, Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega was a highly paid
CIA asset and collaborator, despite knowledge by U.S. drug authorities as early
as 1971 that the general was heavily involved in drug traffickingand money
laundering. Noriega facilitated ”guns-for-drugs” flights for the contras,
providing protection and pilots, as well as safe havens for drug cartel
otficials, and discreet banking facilities. U.S. officials, including then-ClA
Director William Webster and several DEA officers, sent Noriega letters of
praise for efforts to thwart drug trafficking (albeit only against
competitors of his Medellin Cartel patrons). The U.S. government only turned
against Noriega, invading Panama in December 1989 and kidnapping the general
once they discovered he was providing intelligence and services to the Cubans
and Sandinistas. Ironically drug trafficking through Panama increased after the
US invasion. (John Dinges, Our Man in Panama, Random House, 1991;
National Security Archive Documentation Packet The Contras, Cocaine, and Covert
Operations.)
1980s, CENTRAL AMERICA
The San Jose Mercury News series documents just one thread of the interwoven
operations linking the CIA, the contras and the cocaine cartels. Obsessed with
overthrowing the leftist Sandinista government in Nicaragua, Reagan
administration officials tolerated drug trafficking as long as the
traffickers gave support to the contras. In 1989, the Senate Subcommittee on
Terrorism, Narcotics, and International Operations (the Kerry committee)
concluded a three-year investigation by stating: “There was substantial
evidence of drug smuggling through the war zones on the part of individual
Contras, Contra suppliers, Contra pilots mercenaries who worked with the
Contras, and Contra supporters throughout the region…. U.S. officials involved
in Central America failed to address the drug issue for fear of jeopardizing
the war efforts against Nicaragua…. In each case, one or
another agency of the U.S. govemment had intormation regarding the involvement
either while it was occurring, or immediately thereafter….
Senior U S policy makers were nit immune to the idea that drug money was a
perfect solution to the Contras’ funding problems.” (Drugs, Law Enforcement and
Foreign Policy, a Report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations,
Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics and Intemational Operations, 1989) In
Costa Rica, which served as the “Southern Front” for the contras (Honduras
being the Northern Front), there were several different ClA-contra networks
involved in drug trafficking. In addition to those servicing the
Meneses-Blandon operation detailed by the Mercury News, and Noriega’s
operation, there was CIA operative John Hull, whose farms along Costa Rica’s
border with Nicaragua were the main staging area for the contras. Hull and
other ClA-connected contra supporters and pilots teamed up with George Morales,
a major Miami-based Colombian drug trafficker who later admitted to
giving $3 million in cash and several planes to contra leaders. In 1989,
after the Costa Rica government indicted Hull for drug trafficking, a
DEA-hired plane clandestinely and illegally flew the CIA operative to Miami,
via Haiti. The US repeatedly thwarted Costa Rican efforts to extradite Hull
back to Costa Rica to stand trial.
Another Costa Rican-based drug ring involved a group of Cuban Amencans whom the
CIA had hired as military trainers for the contras. Many had long been involved
with the CIA and drug trafficking They used contra planes and a Costa
Rican-based shnmp company, which laundered money for the CIA, to move cocaine
to the U.S.
Costa Rica was not the only route. Guatemala, whose military intelligence
service — closely associated with the CIA — harbored many drug traffickers,
according to the DEA, was another way station along the cocaine highway.
Additionally, the Medell!n Cartel’s Miami accountant, Ramon Milian Rodriguez,
testified that he funneled nearly $10 million to Nicaraguan contras through
long-time CIA operative Felix Rodriguez, who was based at Ilopango Air Force
Base in El Salvador.
The contras provided both protection and infrastructure (planes, pilots,
airstrips, warehouses, front companies and banks) to these ClA-linked drug
networks. At least four transport companies under investigation for drug
trafficking received US govemment contracts to carry non-lethal supplies to
the contras. Southern Air Transport, “formerly” ClA-owned, and later under
Pentagon contract, was involved in the drug running as well. Cocaine-laden
planes flew to Florida, Texas, Louisiana and other locations, including several
militarv bases Designated as ‘Contra Craft,” these shipments were
not to be inspected. When some authority wasn’t clued in and made an arrest,
powerful strings were pulled on behalf of dropping the case, acquittal, reduced
sentence, or deportation.
1980s To Early 1990s, AFGHANISTAN
ClA-supported Moujahedeen rebels engaged heavily in drug trafficking while
fighting against the Soviet-supported govemment and its plans to reform the
very backward Afghan society. The Agency’s principal client was Gulbuddin
Hekmatyar, one of the leading druglords and leading heroin refiner. CIA
supplied trucks and mules, which had carried arms into Afghanistan, were used
to transport opium to laboratories along the Afghan Pakistan border. The output
provided up to one half of the heroin used annually in the United States and
three-quarters of that used in Western Europe. US officials admitted in 1990
that they had failed to investigate or take action against the drug operabon
because of a desire not to offend their Pakistani and Afghan allies.. In 1993,
an official of the DEA called Afghanistan the new Colombia of the drug world.
MlD-1980s To Early 199Os, HAITI
While working to keep key Haitian military and political leaders in power, the
CIA turned a blind eye to their clients’ drug trafficking. In 1986, the Agency
added some more names to its payroll by creating a new Haitian organization,
the National Intelligence Service (SIN). SIN was purportedly created to fight
the cocaine trade, though SIN officers themselves engaged in the trafficking, a
trade aided and abetted by some of the Haitian military and political leaders.
William Blum is author of Killing Hope: U.S Military and CIA Interventions
Since World War ll available from Common Courage Press,
P.O. Box 702, Monroe, Maine, 04951, USA; tel: (207) 525-0900; fax: (207)
525-3068
NOTE: The following videos were not part of the above article, but were
independently included by me.
The CIA Sells Drugs To Fund Black Operations
2. In Search Of The American Drug Lords - The CIA and The Mob
3. Drugs and The CIA
4. Ex-DEA Head Admits CIA Imported Cocaine
5. CIA Coming Forward With Drug Traffic
6. Peruvian Cocaine
Lyrics By: Immortal Technique
Intro: from the film "Scarface"
Host: I've heard whispers about the financial support your government receives
from the drug industry.
Guest:
Well, the irony of this, of course, is that this money, which is in the
billions, is coming from
your country. You see, you are the major purchaser of our national product,
which is of course cocaine.
Host:
On one hand, you're saying the United States government is spending millions of
dollars to
eliminate the flow of drugs onto our streets. At the same time, we are doing
business with the very same goverment that is flooding our streets with cocaine.
Guest:
Mmm-hmm, si, si. Let me show you a few other characters that are involved in
this tragic comedy.
Two Men Speaking Spanish
Immortal Technique - Worker:
I'm on the border of Bolivia, working for pennies
Treated like a slave, the coke fields have to be ready
The spirit of my people is starving, broken and sweaty
Dreaming about revolution (REVOLUTION!) looking at my machete
But the workload is too heavy to rise up in arms
And if I ran away, I know they'd probably murder my moms
So I pray to "Jesus Cristo" when I go to the mission
Process the cocaine, paced and play my position
Pumpkinhead - Cocaine Field Boss:
Ok, listen while I'm out there, just give me my product
Before we chop off ya hands for worker's misconduct
I got the power to shoot a copper, and not get charged
And it would be sad to see your family in front of a firing squad
So to feed your kids, I need these bricks
40 tons in total, let me test it, indeed I [sniff]
Shit, this is good, pass me a tissue
And don't worry about them, I paid off the officials
Diabolic - Peruvian Leader:
Yo, it don't come as a challenge, I'm the son of some of the foulest
Elected by my people...the only one on the ballot
Born and bred to consult with feds, I laugh at fate
And assassinate my predecessor to have his place
In a third-world fashion state, lock the nation
With 90% of the wealth in 10% of the population
The Central Intelligence Agency takes weight faithfully
The finest type of China white and cocaine you'll see
Tonedeff - American Drug Distributor:
Honey I'm home, nevermind why our bank account's suddenly grown
It's funny, we're so out of this debt from this money we owe
Woulda ya...mind if I told you I had two governments overthrown
To keep our son enrolled in a private school, and to keep ya tummy swollen
C'mon, our fuckin' home was built on the foundation of bloody throats
The hungry stolen of they souls, of course this country's runnin' coke
I took a stunted oath to hush the one's who know
But CIA conducts the flow of these young hustlers who lust for dough
Poison Pen - Drug Dealer:
I don't work in the hood (Hit my connect)
Plus what's really good, they supply for the hood
These dudes fucking crack me up, scrutinize like we inferior
Petrified when we meet in my area (calm down)
My dude's'll shoot until I say so, got the loot?
Give me the YAY YAY like Ice Cube, so don't play with my llello
We won't stop for you bastards
Must choose (?), chop it and bag it
Loucipher - Undercover Police Officer:
Taking pictures and tapping phones
Debating snitches and cracking codes
Past a couple, blast the fo',
Want any hustler stacking dough with probably crack the blow
And my overtime is where your taxes go
I gain your trust
Get you to hand weight to us because we paid up front
On the low with cameras taping ya
Getting pop away? The prison sentence is going to
Make the officer leave with two ki's out the evidence room
C-Rayz Walz - Prison Inmate:
Out the evidence room [Said with Loucipher]
Went my fame, truck, boat or plane, they watching you
You think you got work? They copping too
We control blocks, they lock countries
Ya own companies, we had nice cars and sneaker money
Now there's players out there, talking 'bout the holding
With bugs in they house like they down South with windows open
Your dough ain't long, you wrong, you take shorts and (?)
Feds will be up in your mouth...like forks and spoons
So enjoy the rush, live plush off Coke bread
Soon you'll be in a cell with me, like Jenny Lopez
In school, I was a bully, now life is fully a joke
I keep a flow on a boat for Peruvian Coke
Players do favors for governers and tax makers
Fat Quakers smoke crack and sex acts with bad mayors
The walls got ears, you big mouths probably scared
Not prepared to do years like Javier
Immortal Technique Speaking:
The story just told is an example of the path that
drugs take on their way to every neighborhood, in
every state of this country. It's a lot deeper than
the niggas on your block. So when they point the
finger at you, brother men, this is what you've got to tell them:
Wesley Snipes - from "New Jack City"
I'm not guilty. YOU'RE the one that's guilty. The
lawmakers, the politicians, the Columbian drug lords,
all you who lobby against making drugs legal. Just
like you did with alcohol during the prohibition.
You're the one who's guilty. I mean, c'mon, let's kick
the ballistics here: Ain't no Uzi's made in Harlem.
Not one of us in here owns a poppy field. This thing
is bigger than (Immortal Technique). This is big
business. This is the American way.
Posted by Nac Ong-thu at 12:06PM.
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