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Speculative theory
CIA Crack CocaineAtlas
Crime & Trafficking · Drug trade & agency involvement
Gary Webb’s 1996 Dark Alliance series in the San Jose Mercury News tied Nicaraguan Contra figures, including Oscar Danilo Blandón, to cocaine that reached Los Angeles dealer Ricky Ross and the crack market. Official reviews confirmed earlier Contra-linked trafficking allegations were investigated, but rejected the claim that the CIA deliberately introduced crack into Black communities as policy.
Open the caseTimeline
- 1996-10-23 · investigationSenate intelligence hearing on CIA-crack allegations
- 1996-11-26 · investigationFollow-up Senate intelligence hearing on the controversy
- 1997 · document_releaseDOJ OIG report chapters on CIA-Contra-crack controversy released
- 1998 · document_releaseGary Webb Dark Alliance book publication widens debate