Cia allegations of cocaine trafficking conspiracy crack. By 2002, the united kingdom was experiencing their own crack epidemic, with the number of crack addicts seeking help climbing nearly 50% that year. It is one of the most highly additive and destructive drugs in the world. In 1996, gary webb of the san jose mercury news exposed a shocking series of facts. 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. Untouchable, brick city exposes how the infiltration of crack cocaine destroyed innercity neighborhoods across the country. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. 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. According to a recent study released by the rand corp. The documentary series then delves into the rise of the cocaine cowboys, a secret island cocaine base, the cias connection to the crack epidemic, the history of the cartels and their murderous tactics, the era of just say no, the negative effect of nafta, and the. A november 1985 new york times cover story brings the drug to national attention. 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. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb in 1996, journalist gary webb began looking into links between nicaraguas drugrunning contra rebels and the cia.
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. Gary webb revealed that the cia were directly responsible for the us crack epidemic in the 1980s. Crack cocaine was popularized because of its affordability, its immediate euphoric effect, and its high profitability. The reagan administration and the cia also collaborated with nicaraguan cocaine traffickers to support the contras led to the crack epidemic of the 1980s. Blandon and meneses were said to have used their drug trafficking profits to help fund the contra armys war effort. The mercury news articles alleged that ross was responsible for bringing. The us government cia is responsible for the crack epidemic. There is a documentary called freeway rick ross that details the cia s involvement. Gary webb revelaed that the cia was responsible for the us crack epidemic in the 80s.
The allegations were made by a californiabased newspaper in 1996. After losing his job for telling the truth he documented everything in his book dark alliance. Caught and then convicted to life in prison during the mid90s, freeway rick reduced his sentence to 20 years an extremely rare feat. Untouchable, brick city chronicling the extraordinary rise, fall and redemption of freeway rick ross, the man considered responsible for. The most important puzzle piece this film reveals is freeway rickys direct connection to blandon. It refuted charges that cia officials knew that their nicaraguan allies were dealing drugs. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency cia supported cocaine trafficking into the u. Thirty years of americas drug war drug wars frontline. 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. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy. Despite what a new movie says about the reporter who linked the cia and crack.
A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. The means used by the cia was the saturation of cocaine in our country. The return of freeway ricky ross, the man behind a crack. In 1996 the agency was accused of being a crack dealer. This documentary by awardwinning filmmaker marc levin slam, mr. One of the most talked about conspiracy theories of the mid80s and early 90s had to do with the crack epidemic. Crack epidemic, the significant increase in the use of crack cocaine, or crack, in the united states during the early 1980s. The crack epidemic the history of crack cocaine drug. The fbis war on black america top documentary films. As a sincere but flawed muckraker, he pursued the truth writing for the san jose mercury news and, naturally, incurred the wrath of the feds. A series of expose articles in the san jose mercurynews by reporter gary webb told tales of a drug. Crack in the system, have shined a new light on the.
Heres how the crack epidemic brought a city to its knees. This creates a short high, followed by tiredness, depression, panic, anxiety, and brain damage. Did the cia play a role in launching the crack cocaine epidemic. A pair of new television programs tackles the role of the us central intelligence agency cia in the erection of latin american drug routes, and. Webbs dark alliance story made the extraordinary claim that the central intelligence agency was responsible for the crack cocaine epidemic in america. Crack, a potent form of smokeable cocaine developed in the early 1980s, begins to flourish in the new york region. 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 secret flow of drugs and money, webb reported, had a direct link to the crack epidemic that devastated californias most vulnerable african american neighborhoods.
Reagan declared that illicit drugs were a direct threat to u. More compelling than fiction, its the real story behind americas war on drugs. New shows examine cias past role in latin americas drug trade. Small doses of it are smoked into the lungs and delivered quickly to the brain.
It started when webb wrote a series of three articles for the san jose mercury news in 1996 dubbed dark alliance. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward. Freeway ricky ross, the drug kingpin who ignited crack. President reagans desired end was to finance the nicaraguan contras in their fight for democracy. Original twopart documentary on al jazeera america freeway. The united states justice department has issued a report clearing the central intelligence agency of any role in introducing crackcocaine into americas inner cities in the 1980s. Through a secret program called the counter intelligence program cointelpro, there was a concerted effort to subvert the will of the people to avoid the rise of a black messiah that would mobilize the africanamerican community into a meaningful political force this documentary establishes historical perspective on the measures initiated by j. 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. In his report, webb who had won a pulitzer in 1989 for a different story claimed that the cia was partly responsible for bringing crack cocaine to the united states in the 1980s.
Winston churchill gary webb suffered greatly for writing about the cias enabling drug selling on us streets to fund the nicaraguan contras in the 90s. Garys breakthrough was finding a story that connected the dots. The igs report cleared the cia of complicity with the innercity crack cocaine trade. If these companies are directly responsible for this scourge of death and destruction, the film. The answer is the same as it was a decade ago following a central intelligence agency cialed invasion of afghanistan. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb telegraph. In july 1995, san jose mercurynews reporter gary webb found the big onethe blockbuster story every journalist secretly dreams aboutwithout even looking for it. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. Webbs story made the extraordinary claim that the central intelligence agency was responsible for the crack cocaine epidemic in america. Here are 10 things to know about gary webb and his report that linked the cia to crack cocaine. Now, webbs bombshell expose is being explored anew in a documentary, freeway. Freeway ricky ross, who managed a billiondollar drug empire in l.
A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yesand the charge. The true story of the 1980s crack epidemic is still untold. Crack in the system tells the story of broken dreams, drug dealers, dirty cops, and government complicity. The documentary investigates the horrific individual and societal impact of these rising addiction rates, and relentlessly exposes the chief engineers behind the epidemic. Both kill the messenger, starring jeremy renner, and the documentary, freeway. This was accomplished, but the disregard for the inevitable result, our countrys crack cocaine epidemic, was not justifiable.
The uk reported an increase of 74% in seizures of crack cocaine in drug raids between 2000 and 2006. Webbs story became notable as the first major journalism cause celebre on the newly emerging internet. Allegations of a cia connection to crack cocaine epidemic. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum. Freeway ricky ross gets candid about the opioid crisis. Dark alliance was a series written by californiabased reporter webb and published in the san jose mercury news in 1996. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. The american crack epidemic refers to the surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across the united states between 1984 and 1990. It is a good thing that the post ran leens article on an opinion page instead of on its news pages, since leen got several of his facts wrong including these basic ones. 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. He didnt say that the cia was responsible for the crack epidemic but he tried to prove that the cia was complicit in drug trafficking and in his words helped spark a crack explosion in urban america.
On october 14, 1982, president ronald reagan declared a war on drugs, doublingdown on an initiative that was started by richard nixon. 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. 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. Ciacontracrack cocaine controversy department of justice. Ciacrack cocaine scandal resurfaces in new film, documentary. A simple phone call concerning an unexceptional pending drug trial turned into a massive conspiracy involving the nicaraguan contra rebels, l.
Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. 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. In a time of universal deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act. Did the cia play a role in launching the crackcocaine epidemic. Gary webb was no journalism hero, despite what kill the. By 1985, cocainerelated hospital emergencies rose by. Crack epidemic united states history 1980s britannica. The crack epidemic had particularly devastating effects.