The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb telegraph. Did the cia really introduce cocaine crack to the u. Dec 24, 2005 crack has destroyed millions of lives since it was first introduced to the streets of america. This idea evolved from the claim that the cia or fbi introduced heroin into inner cities in the 60s. This month, the coasttocoast media crossfire over the mercury news series is likely to intensify.
Oct 24, 2014 gary webb was no journalism hero, despite what kill the messenger says, read the recent washington post oped headline. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward. The cia dropped crack into the inner cities in the 80s. Archiving our us civil rights material reading race. In more extreme versions of the story circulating on talk radio and the internet, the agency was the instrument of a consistent strategy by the us. Was the cia involved in selling crack cocaine to inner city persons to fund secret armies in nicaragua. Cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in central america pbs. Though evidence is thin, tale of cia and drugs has a life of its own. Others however argued that this is not true and that its some sort of liberal agenda to demonize reagans term. Welcome to the cia web site central intelligence agency. The establishment newspapers call african american leaders paranoids who think the white power structure is out to get them. Investigative reporter gary webb linked the cia to americas introduction to crack cocaine. Over the years, african americans have been accused of being a culturally suspicious group to a fault.
Until those issues are addressed, its unlikely that the crack problem that has happened in our innercity areas will be resolved. Freeway ricky ross, one of americas biggest drug dealers, unwittingly became a main player in the central american drug connection, which sent millions of american dollars in drug money to. Was the cia involved in selling crack cocaine to inner city. Was the cia involved in selling crack cocaine to inner. Reagan did not manufacture the crack epidemic in the 80s. Crack cocaine in the inner cities has torn up numerous families. Did the cia really invent and distribute crack cocaine in. Crack is a relatively new drug on the scene compared to drugs like opium. Bill whitaker allegations that the cia financed its contra rebel movement against the sandinistas in nicaragua with proceeds from selling crack cocaine to inner city drug dealers in the black community during the 1980s featured. Powder cocaine, the more expensive version of the drug, found. Central intelligence agency to the introduction of crack cocaine into black neighborhoods with drug profits used to fund the ciabacked.
Congress passed laws that created a 100 to 1 sentencing disparity for the possession or trafficking of crack when compared to. But crack cocaine use has also been reported as a significant problem in three french overseas territoriesguadeloupe, french guiana and martiniqueand in some communities in the netherlands. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. In 1996 the agency was accused of being a crack dealer. In october 1998, the cia released a declassified version of hitzs twovolume report. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum. Crack cocaine first appeared in miami, where caribbean immigrants taught adolescents the technique of converting powdered cocaine into crack. Aug 12, 2015 crack was an inner city drug, a streetcorner drug, a drug of gangs and guns that white america largely experienced from a distance. Outraged at cia role in drug trade duke university. Waters packet includes letters to the attorney general and to cia director john deuch. In more extreme versions of the story circulating on talk radio and the internet, the agency was the instrument of a consistent strategy by the us government to.
It has long been known that the cia has illegally toppled foreign governments. Crack, the cia and black americas drug crisis the final call. Central intelligence agency, a mercury news investigation has found. If evidence and journalism can prevail over assumptions and ideology, the cias defenders will continue to lose ground. Crack is wack but did cia create it to kill off blacks. In 1996, a series in the san jose mercurynews by gary webb charged that the reaganera cia sold crack in inner cities to fund clandestine operations in central america. The first article also made other specific allegations of cia knowledge of, or involvement in, the drug rings activities.
Inner city youth dont have the resources to manufacture cocaine or ship in. A widely read newspaper series leads many americans to believe cia is guilty of at least complicity, if not conspiracy, in the outbreak of crack cocaine in americas inner cities. These conditions were further strained during the 1980s and 1990s by the widespread use of crack cocaine. Cia funnels drugs into poor us neighborhoods rt usa news. It refuted charges that cia officials knew that their nicaraguan allies were dealing drugs.
Dec 31, 2004 crack, the cia and black americas drug crisis. The crack epidemic the history of crack cocaine drug. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come. The majority of european crack cocaine users are located in three citieshamburg, london and paris. Usually the cias activities have harmful effects on innocent civilians in foreign countries. Jun 26, 2017 heres how the crack epidemic brought a city to its knees. Cia funnels drugs into poor us neighborhoods 6 jan, 2011 19.
Where did the cia introduced crack to the inner cities in. The crack epidemic the history of crack cocaine drugfree. 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. First off, its very unlikely that the cia was involved in what happened to. Apr 25, 2007 the first article also made other specific allegations of cia knowledge of, or involvement in, the drug rings activities. That said, the charged words crack and inner city were likely unintended consequences not all part of the plan. We read every letter or email we receive, and we will convey your comments to cia officials outside opa as appropriate. 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. The money was to support the contras, a guerrilla force largely financed by the cia to.
While the use of coca leaves as an intoxicant dates back three thousand years, crack cocaine, a crystallized form of cocaine, was developed during the cocaine boom of the 1970s and its use spread in the mid1980s. October 21, 1996 though evidence is thin, tale of c. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. Inciardi, immigrants from jamaica, trinidad, and locations along the leeward and windward islands introduced the prototype for crack to caribbean inner city populations in miami and new york. Its a sad sight, especially at a time when real journalism is shriveling and in retreat, including in the washington post news room. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. The campaign to discredit the san jose mercury news. Central intelligence agency to the introduction of crack cocaine into. Did the cia really invent and distribute crack cocaine in the. Innercity americans will receive the powerful drugs they love, and the cia will raise the funds they cant get from congress to get their jonestown mindcontrol experiment up and running again. The central intelligence agency cia is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the united states, tasked with gathering, processing, and analyzing national security information from around the world, primarily through the use of human intelligence humint. The war on drugs and the three strikes law put a lot of inner city men and women in prison.
A series of expose articles in the san jose mercurynews by reporter gary webb told tales of a drug. Why do many people believe that the us government introduced. Ultimately, crack is a highly addictive drug, and those who take it are much more likely to use crime to pay for their habits. In october 1998, the cia released a declassified version of hitzs twovolume report, and the cia was cleared of its alleged complicity in the spread of crackcocaine in to the innercities. Inner city americans will receive the powerful drugs they love, and the cia will raise the funds they cant get from congress to get their jonestown mindcontrol experiment up and running again. 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. The simple answer to debunk this is that cocaine was around well before the creation of the cia. Dark alliance was a series written by californiabased reporter webb and published in the san jose mercury news in 1996. Government pushed crack in black hoods for nearly a decade the cia, helped. Inciardi reports that in 1980, coca paste smoking was popular in the caribbean. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies.
Rather, the rise of crack was driven by a broad array of factors, from a worldwide glut of powder cocaine to shifting tastes among addicts to the entrepreneurial moxie of the innercity hustlers. A complete history of crack cocaine drug rehab options. Freeway rick ross on how he introduced crack to the u. Crack is a relatively new drug on the scene compared to drugs like opium or heroin.
Crack was an innercity drug, a streetcorner drug, a drug of gangs and guns that white america largely experienced from a distance. The money was to support the contras, a guerrilla force largely financed by the cia to fight the marxistled sandinista government. Under president ronald reagan america not only increased its involvement in the middle east by supplying arms to both iraq and iran in their war against each other, but america stepped up its involvement in conflicts. It can be instantly addictive, meaning just a single dose is enough to start on the path. The black and brown ones receiving more time than their white. 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 igs report cleared the cia of complicity with the innercity crack cocaine trade. Inner city youth dont have the resources to manufacture cocaine or ship in guns, mr. I n a scene from the new movie kill the messenger, investigative reporter gary webb played by. Did the cia really introduce cocainecrack to the u. Cia officials expect the new drug to be even more popular than crack. Marijuana supplanted crack as the drug of choice among innercity youths, especially when smoked as a bluntan inexpensive cigar in which the tobacco has been replaced with marijuana golub and johnson, 2001. This drug network opened the first pipeline between colombias cocaine cartels and the black. For many, crack use became an obsession, dominated their lives, and. Following massive civil unrest in the city in 1992, she appeared widely in national media to discuss the despair in urban america. The severelydistressed african american family in the crack. Did the cia really invent and distribute crack cocaine in the early 80s.
The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. Little did they know that the cia was using them as pawns in a larger scheme by allowing the more affordable drug to come into their neighborhood. In this case, the cias activities led to the crack epidemic in americas inner cities, which caused american citizens much pain and misery. Rather, the rise of crack was driven by a broad array of factors, from a worldwide glut of powder cocaine to shifting tastes among addicts to the entrepreneurial moxie of the inner city hustlers. Yet, for more than a decade, most mainstream media dodged the visible links between the cias contra army and illicit drugs. However, with limited staff and resources, we simply cannot respond to all who write to us. The severelydistressed african american family in the. Alphonse, who now resides in alabama, said he has warned for years that the flood of crack cocaine and assault weapons into the black community was not the doing of the bloods and crips. Crack epidemic united states history 1980s britannica. Crack has destroyed millions of lives since it was first introduced to the streets of america. 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. Webbs series led to three federal investigations, none of. My american literature professor said that cia involvement in selling drugs in the us was often speculated about in the 80s but never proven. One of the things is lays out is how the crack trade had to have been organized from outside and by people with high level connections.
Secret ties between cia, drugs revealed the final call. 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 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. Gary webb was no journalism hero, despite what kill the messenger says, read the recent washington post oped headline. There is a great documentary on this called, american drug war. Mar 21, 2015 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 igs report cleared the cia of complicity with the inner city crack cocaine trade. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum rt. Child caretaker eloise dangerfield, black leaders express anger at the government. Numerous african american families have struggled for generations with persistent poverty, especially in the inner city. It started when webb wrote a series of three articles for the san jose mercury news in 1996 dubbed dark alliance. Who exactly invented crack and introduced it to the inner cities is unknown and largely beside the point, but it certainly wasnt something that inner city blacks could have organized by themselves. Hello reddit, i was doing a little research on the crack epidemic of the 1980s and from what i read the cia introduce crack cocaine to the u. However, many existing crack users persisted with their habits throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s. 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. The office of public affairs opa is the single point of contact for all inquiries about the central intelligence agency cia.