The United States was the destination for thousands of tons of [[cocaine]] trafficked through CIA-connected networks during the Contra war, and the site of the [[Crack Cocaine|crack]] epidemic that devastated inner-city communities.[^1] ### Contra Cocaine Pipeline [[Norwin Meneses]] and [[Danilo Blandon|Danilo Blandón]] operated a cocaine distribution network that moved drugs from [[Colombia]] through [[Central America]] into the [[United States]]. Blandón was the first major trafficker to establish a direct connection between Colombian cocaine sources and [[South Central Los Angeles|South Central L.A.]] street gangs. [[Ricky Ross]] then distributed the cocaine nationwide through the [[Crips]] and Bloods networks.[^2] ### Secret 1982 Agreement From 1982 to 1995, the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] and the [[Department of Justice|Justice Department]] operated under a secret agreement that exempted CIA assets from drug crimes reporting requirements. During this period, the government could assert there was "no evidence" of CIA-connected drug trafficking because no one was legally required to report it. CIA Inspector General [[Fred Hitz]] testified before Congress that the CIA "did not, in an expeditious or consistent fashion, cut off relationships with individuals supporting the Contra program who were alleged to have engaged in drug trafficking activity," including trafficking within the United States.[^3] ### Law Enforcement Federal agencies including the [[DEA]], [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]], and [[U.S. Customs]] possessed extensive intelligence about Contra-connected drug trafficking but were prevented from acting on it. Multiple investigations were shut down, evidence was destroyed, and informants were discredited or imprisoned.[^4] ### Footnotes [^1]: Gary Webb, *Dark Alliance*, Prologue: "It was like they didn't want to know" [^2]: Gary Webb, *Dark Alliance*, Chapter 10: "Teach a man a craft and he's liable to practice it" [^3]: Gary Webb, *Dark Alliance*, Epilogue: "The damage that has been done" [^4]: Gary Webb, *Dark Alliance*, Chapter 9: "He would have had me by the tail"