El Chapo v. Longstanding CIA Global Drugs Trafficking

By Stephen Lendman – Drug lords come and go, the El Chapo arrest is of little consequence, doing nothing to stem the flow of illicit drugs. Business as usual continues.

His operation and others like his pale compared to CIA global drugs trafficking – a topic media scoundrels won’t touch.

Its involvement began in 1947, its first year of existence. In his book titled “The Politics of Heroin: CIA Complicity in the Global Drug Trade,” Alfred McCoy documented CIA and US government complicity in drugs trafficking at the highest official levels.

It continues today in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South and Central America, facilitating the global supply of illicit drugs.

Gary Webb’s expose of CIA involvement in Nicaraguan drugs trafficking, supporting the contras, dealing with Los Angeles crack dealers, made him a target for vicious vilification – hounding him out of journalism into deep depression, either committing suicide or succumbing to foul play.

He regularly received death threats. Credible sources believe he was murdered to silence him. Unidentified individuals were seen breaking into and leaving his residence before his demise.

In his books and other writings, Peter Dale Scott explained “(s)ince at least 1950 there has been a global CIA-drug connection operating more or less continuously” to this day.

“The global drug connection is not just a lateral connection between CIA field operatives and their drug-trafficking contacts.”

“It is more significantly a global financial complex of hot money uniting prominent business, financial and government, as well as underworld figures,” a sort of “indirect empire (operating alongside) existing government.

Iran-Contra and Afghan opium cultivation for global heroin trafficking are two among numerous other examples.

Hundreds of billions of dollars of annual revenues are produced – a US government-supported bonanza for the CIA, organized crime and Western financial institutions, heavily involved in money laundering.

A 1996 Peter Dale Scott affidavit on CIA drugs trafficking explained his research into longstanding US government involvement.

Governments themselves, and the links they develop with major traffickers, are the key both to the drug-trafficking problem and to its solution,” he explained.

America is one of numerous governments involved, the most harmful and disturbing because of its imperial power and global reach, influencing or affecting virtually everything worldwide.

A 2013 UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC) World Drug Report called Israel a major international cocaine trafficking hub.

A 2012 State Department International Narcotics Control Strategy Report called “Israel’s illicit drug grade…regionally focused…more of a transit country than a stand-alone significant market.”

“The authorities continue to be concerned with illegal pharmaceutical sales, retail businesses which are suspected money-laundering enterprises, and corruption accusations against public officials.”

An earlier State Department report said “the Israeli drug market continued to be characterized by high demand in nearly all sectors of society and a high availability of drugs including cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, hashish and LSD.”

Israel is heavily involved in money laundering. Both activities operate in tandem, involving hundreds of millions to billions of illicit dollars.

Headlines highlight Mexican drug lord El Chapo’s reported arrest after a gun battle near his Sinaloa home, according to Mexican officials, ignoring high-level ones complicit in drugs trafficking.

He escaped Mexican captivity twice before. Extradition to America may follow this time. His operations continue as usual, with or without his involvement.

Drugs trafficking is big business, corrupt governments like America and business interests heavily involved. The CIA relies on it for huge amounts of revenues.

It bears repeating. Drug lords come and go. Dirty business as usual continues unabated – unreported by presstitutes, ignoring what demands public exposure.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III. http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html. Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.

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