Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department played a key role in investigating the Contra-connected cocaine network, arresting Danilo Blandón before being ordered to release him and return seized evidence.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) played a key role in investigating the Contra-connected Cocaine network, arresting Danilo Blandón before being ordered to release him and return seized evidence. The department's LASD Major Violators unit, known as "the Majors," partnered with federal agents on the investigation that nearly exposed the Contra drug connection.1
The Blandón Investigation
When the Torres brothers began revealing details about Blandón's connections to the Contras and airfields in New Orleans and Brownsville, Texas, where Contra cocaine was allegedly being flown in under armed guard, LAPD detective Steve Polak realized he was out of his league. His chief asked him to team up with one of the L.A. County Sheriff's Major Violators squads. The partnership led to raids on Blandón's operations and the seizure of cocaine, cash, and weapons.2
The CIA Intervention
A cable from the CIA's Los Angeles office marked "Immediate Director" stated that "Three individuals claiming CIA affiliation have been arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on narcotics related charges." After the raid, the investigation was shut down from above. Seized evidence was returned to Blandón and Ron Lister within days. Documents disappeared. Blandón was released without charges. The LASD's investigation was effectively quashed by CIA intervention, preventing the exposure of Contra-connected drug trafficking on the West Coast.3
Sources
- Webb, Gary. Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion. Seven Stories Press, 1998. Ch. 17. ↩
- Webb, Gary. Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion. Seven Stories Press, 1998. Ch. 17. ↩
- Webb, Gary. Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion. Seven Stories Press, 1998. Ch. 9. ↩
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