LETTER TO MR. RICHARD HELMS FROM LES ASPIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP74B00415R000300230006-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 2, 2006
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: June 27, 1972
• Content Type: LETTER

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IV&DISTRICT, W18 O 81N
HOME OFFICE81
603 MAIN STREET
RACINE, WISCONSIN 63403
414-632-8194
210 DODGE STREET
JANUVILLE, WISCONSIN 53545
608-752.9074
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i b(n~ton, .~C. 20515
June 27, 1972
Mr. Richard Helms, Director
Central Intelligence-Agency
Washington, D.C.
SUBCOMMITTEE,
ARMED SERVICES SUBCOMMI T5E i4
WASHINGTON OFFICE,
515 CANNON HOUSE Drown
BUILDING
202-225-3031
I am publicly releasing today substantial new evidence
that indicates that U.S. pilots flying CIA-operated helicopters
have been smuggling opium inside Laos. These allegations
are contained in a letter and additional information that
I have received from Mr. Alfred McCoy, author of a forth-
coming book on heroin traffic in Southeast Asia. if these
allegations are true, then the CIA is implicated.in fostering
the drug traffic that ruins the lives of tens of thousands
of Americans.
I am writing to you today to request that you thoroughly
investigate Mr. McCoy's allegations. Since Mr. McCoy obtained
his information last summer, it is imperative to determine
whether this kind of drug trafficking is still going on. A
principal unanswered question which the CIA must resolve is:
At what level in the CIA were officials aware of this illicit
drug traffic?".
I hope that you will report t
of your investigation.
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DRAFT - JMM
24 August 1972
The Honorable Les Aspin
House of Representatives
Washington, D. C. 20515
My dear Mr. Aspin:
The investigation undertaken in response to your letter of
June 27, 1972, has been completed. The results of this investigation
confirm and thoroughly justify my continuing certainty that CIA is not
now and never has been involved in illicit drug traffic in any way.
Regarding the specific sources cited by Mr. McCoy in support of his
allegations, it should be noted that our interviews with each of these
individuals produced flat denials that such reports could have been
attributed to them. (A classified report summarizing the results of
our investigation is being filed with the Chairman of the Special
Committee on Intelligence of the House Armed Services Committee.)
Your letter of June 27 also puts the direct question, "At what
level in CIA were officials aware of this illicit drug traffic? " A
categorical answer to this question is that our investigations and
those of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs have revealed
no credible evidence that U. S. pilots flying CIA-operated helicopters
have been smuggling opium inside or from Laos and that on interrogation
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the CIA personnel who would have knowledge of such traffic if it did
exist deny knowing of any such illicit drug traffic. On the contrary,
they state positively that it does not exist.
I am sure you will understand and agree that it is inappropriate
for the CIA to be drawn into national debate over unsubstantiated
allegations about this serious social problem. As you know, we are
engaged in a cooperative effort with other agencies of the Government
to stop the flow of drugs into the United States and to U. S. personnel
overseas. You may be assured that we will continue to support this
program to the best of our ability and within the proper scope of our
responsibility.
Sincerely,
Richard Helms
Director
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H. PATRICK SWYGERT
ADMINISTRATIVE A8GIETANT
HOUSE OPPICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20515
TELEI HONm 202-2264365
g 4,
"I s.zatall, ~) C. 20545
August 1. 1972
Honorable Richard Helms
Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C. 20505
Dear Mr. Helms:
MRS. VIRGINIA BELL
O18TRICT ADMINISTRATOR
144 WEST 126TH STREET
NAW YORK, NEW YORK 1002.7
TwLP uoNId 888-8600
The Washinton.Pos reported yesterday that "the headquarters
for CIA-backe Laotian irregular forces" will be moved to Vang
Vieng, "a town on Route 13 85 miles north of Vientiane and 34
miles southwest of Long Cheng Valley." The article mentions that
the new location will be the headquarters for General Vang Po's
"guerilla force."
I would appreciate your informing me as to what steps are
being taken by the Central Intelligence Agency to guarantee
that the new base at Vang Vieng will in no way be involved in
opium and heroin trafficking and to see that General Vang Po
discontinues his involvement in Southeast Asian drug production,
processing and smuggling. I would further like to know how the
CIA plans to monitor aircraft and ground vehicles entering the
new headquarters and leaving it to see that no such vehicles
provided, subsidized, funded or operated by any agency of the
U4. government is used to transport opium, its derivatives or#
any chemicals used in its processing and packaging.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
CSR.e
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DRAFT - JMM
24 August 1972
The Honorable Charles B. Rangel
House of Representatives
Washington, D. C. 20515
My dear Mr. Rangel:
This is in reply to your letter of 1 August 1972 referring to a
story in the Washington Post of 31 July and raising certain questions
regarding the illicit drug traffic in Southeast Asia.
We are aware of certain allegations that have circulated in the
public media to the effect that this Agency has somehow been involved
in the drug traffic. I wish categorically to assure you that all such
allegations which have come to our attention have been carefully
investigated and found to be completely groundless.
I should like further to assure you that this Agency is employing
every feasible means to make sure that neither its personnel, its
activities, nor its installations become in any way involved in the
illicit drug traffic.
I trust these assurances will allay your concern regarding this
important matter.
Sincerely,
Richard Helms
Director
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