Nexus - 0703 - New Times Magazine-pages

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addition, the secret agreement violated Executive Order 12333 issued in 1981, which required the reporting of drug crimes." The suit also states that the 1989 Kerry Report ("Drugs, Law Enforcement and Foreign Policy") made specific findings that "drug trafficking had pervaded the entire Contra war effort, that ‘one or another agency of the US Government had information regarding the involvement either while it was occurring or imme- diately after' and that 'senior policy makers were not immune to the idea that drug money was a perfect solution to the Contras' funding problems". addition, the secret agreement violated Executive Order 12333 "The crack cocaine epidemic enveloped Los Angeles between issued in 1981, which required the reporting of drug crimes." 1982 and 1986. Government documents show that the CIA and The suit also states that the 1989 Kerry Report ("Drugs, Law DoJ knew or should have known of the massive importations by Enforcement and Foreign Policy") made specific findings that Meneses, Blandon and other cocaine supplying operations," the "drug trafficking had pervaded the entire Contra war effort, that lawsuit continues. ‘one or another agency of the US Government had information "Common sense and a review of the news coverage for that regarding the involvement either while it was occurring or imme- period indicate that these agencies knew or should have known diately after' and that 'senior policy makers were not immune to _ that their ongoing policy of deliberate silence allowed the crack the idea that drug money was a perfect solution to the Contras' epidemic to rage unchecked. The CIA turned its back while ship- funding problems'". ment after shipment of this new, intensely addictive form of cocaine A Little History, Please was delivered to one of Ross's five "In the opening phase of the crack "The CIA turned its back while cookhouses and then put up for sale cocaine epidemic, between 1982 and throughout south-central Los Angeles 1986, CIA officers and other intelli- shipment after shipment of this and Compton. The result was the gence agencies received reports new. intensely addictive form of death of men, women and children, 3 regarding Bay Area cocaine . . the collapse of businesses and the importers Norman Meneses and cocaine [crack] was delivered... destruction of whole neighborhoods. Danilo Blandon," the class action and then put up for sale "Once the initial southern lawsuit alleges. California market was glutted, crack "Both of these men were among throughout south-central moved north. Mid-level dealers the primary importers in the United " diverted the flow to other African- States and dominated the market on Los Angeles and Compton. American communities in California, the West Coast. Because of the such as East Palo Alto, San secret CIA/DoJ agreement which Francisco, Oakland and Richmond. purported to exempt the CIA from The consequences to these communi- having to report drug crimes, cocaine suppliers connected with the ties, in terms of loss of life, family structure and economic power, Contras or other US covert operations were able to import their continue to this day.” ‘unregulated product’ under the cloak of national security. The lawsuit categorised two classes of plaintiffs: (a) inner city "Meneses and Blandon funneled vast quantities of cocaine, at a residents of northern and southern California (Alameda, Contra price far lower than other suppliers, to ‘Freeway Rick' Ross, who Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo counties), "largely African- proceeded to flood south-central Los Angeles with a new, low- American, who experienced particular economic, physical and/or cost product dubbed 'crack’. By 1984, Ross was selling 150 kilo- emotional injuries arising from the neighborhoods hardest hit by grams of cocaine every week, enough to put 3,000,000 doses of the crack cocaine epidemic, such as addictions to crack, death or crack on LA's streets every seven days. absence of loved ones due to drug-related crimes, reduction of income and increase in the number of dependents", and (b) "residents of the metropolitan areas of the OH,THAT, counties listed above who experienced injuries suf- LT GOT THAT fered by the community as a whole, such as lack of ONE NIGHT WHEN safety, overburdened social services, loss of local THE CARTOONIST businesses and damage to the tax base".