The Contras, Cocaine, and Covert Operations

A modern day muckraker with true grit, reporter Gary Webb linked the origins of crack cocaine in California to

the contras, a guerrilla force backed by the Reagan administration that attacked Nicaragua's Sandinista government during the 1980s. 

Iran Contra Timeline

http://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/16/us/cia-chief-visits-watts-to-counter-crack-talk.html

1981

June: Contra official Julio Zavala begins selling cocaine in San Francisco

August: Press conference in Honduras announcing the formation of the Nicaraguan Democratic Force -- the FDN -- also known as the Contras.

December: Reagan signs secret order allowing CIA to begin paramilitary operations against the Nicaraguan government. Blandon and Meneses fly to Honduras for meeting with Enrique Bermudez, the CIA-paid head of the Contra army, to discuss fund raising in U.S. Blandon says he begins selling cocaine for Meneses shortly

1982

March: At CIA's direction, Contras blow up two bridges leading into Nicaragua, which marks the beginning of the Contra revolution.

June: FBI arrests Meneses relative and accuses him of laundering $11 million worth of drug money in three months.

October: Meneses hosts FDN meetings in Los Angeles and San Francisco for visiting Contra leaders.

December: Congress votes to prohibit CIA aid to the Contras.

1983

In response to customer demands, Ross begins marketing ready-made crack and learns how to turn a kilo of powder into three or more kilos of rock by adding an anaesthetic called procaine, a process known as "blown up." The drug network expands to other states.

June: Contra officials meet with Colombian drug trafficker George Morales in Miami to arrange weapons shipment.

1984

Ross and Blandon are selling 100 kilos of Meneses' cocaine a week in Los Angeles. The drug gangs who distribute their cocaine begin buying assault weapons and communications gear from Blandon and his associates.

 June: Meneses hosts dinners for FDN leaders in San Francisco.

October: Justice Department returns $36,000 in cash seized in San Francisco from Contra cocaine dealer. Congress cuts off all funding for Contras eight days later.

November: San Francisco FDN official and a Meneses nephew arrested on cocaine charges.

1985

June: Contra leader Adolfo Calero comes to San Francisco and arranges weapons purchase with Lt. Col. Oliver North's field representative, Robert Owen.

September: San Francisco Contra official arrested in cocaine sting says Meneses is dealing drugs and arms for the Contras.

October: DEA agent assigned to El Salvador gets reports of drug smuggling at Illopango military air base.

1986

January: Costa Rican shrimp company owned by drug dealers gets U.S. State Department contract to deliver aid to Contras.

August: Congress approves $100 million in aid to the Contras. Also approves new cocaine laws that punish crack offenders more severely than powder dealers.

November: Iran-Contra scandal breaks.

1987

January: Freeway Rick Task Force formed to shut down Rick Ross' crack operation in Los Angeles.

February: Blandon moves to Miami and "retires'' from drug business. Buys several businesses in partnership with ex-Nicaraguan army general and an FDN lawyer.

1988

March: Truce signed between Nicaraguan government and the Contras ending the civil war.

September: New Mexican police find nine kilos of cocaine on a Cincinnati-bound Greyhound and link it to Ross.

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