LETTER TO THE HONORABLE LES ASPIN FROM RICHARD HELMS

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP80M01048A001500020008-8
Release Decision: 
RIFPUB
Original Classification: 
K
Document Page Count: 
3
Document Creation Date: 
December 16, 2016
Document Release Date: 
February 7, 2005
Sequence Number: 
8
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
June 28, 1972
Content Type: 
LETTER
File: 
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PDF icon CIA-RDP80M01048A001500020008-8.pdf128.86 KB
Body: 
Approved For Release 2005/03/09 : CIA-RDP80MO1048AO01500020008-8 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505 The Honorable Les Aspin 1 House of Representatives Washington, D. C. 20515 Dear Mr. Aspin: ~'A The Congressional Record of June 27, 1972, carries a letter addressed to me by you announcing your release of'' 'substantial new evidence that indicates U. S. pilots flying CIA operated helicopters have been smuggling opium inside Laos. " I have yet to receive your letter. Pending its receipt, however, I shall begin a thorough investigation of this alleged "new evidence" and will advise you in due course of the results. In this connection, I call to your attention the testimony of Mr. Nelson Gross, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State and Coordinator f r International Narcotics Mat- ters, before the Congressional Inquiry Re arding International Narcotics Traffic on June 9, 1972. He there quoted Air America, Managing Di- rector's statement that Mr. Alfred McCoy's allegation before the that Air America aircraft have been trans- porting opium in or ern Laos is "utterly and absolutely false. " In the interim, I wish to reiterate strongly what I have said pub- licly to the American Society of Newspaper Editors: "There is the arrant nonsense that the Central Intelligence Agency is somehow involved in the world drug traffic. We are not. As fathers, we are as concerned about the lives of our children and grandchildren, as are all of you. As an Agency, in fact, we are heavily engaged in tracing the foreign roots of the drug traffic for the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. We hope we are helping with a solution; we know we are not contributing to the problem. " In addition, you will have no doubt noticed in the Congressional Record of June 2, 1971, that Congressman Charles Gubser cited a letter from Approved For Release 2005/03/09 : CIA-RDP80MO1048AO01500020008-8 Approved For Release 2005/03/09 : CIA-RDP80MO1048AO01500020008-8 Mr. John Ingersoll, Director of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, attesting to the fact that this Agency has taken a great number of steps against the narcotics trade. Further, we have issued the strongest instructions, and have most vigorously enforced them, to prohibit any inadvertent use of CIA facilities. by narcotics smugglers. In the light of these well-established positions, we find it dis - appointing to be subjected to the type of public allegation represented by -graduate student McCoy's assertions of "new evidence, " the innuendo in which can only dishearten CIA personnel of honor and integrity working against this nefarious trade.. Sincerely, Richard Helms Director Approved For Release 2005/03/09 : CIA-RDP80MO1048AO01500020008-8 ppr 8- L AS-A A App UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL SECRET OFFICIAL ROUTING SLIP TO NAME AND ADDRESS DATE INITIALS 2 3 4 5 6 ACTION DIRECT REPLY PREPARE REPLY APPROVAL DISPATCH RECOMMENDATION COMMENT FILE RETURN CONCURRENCE INFORMATION SIGNATURE Remarks : t k 4 T FOLD HERE TO 44TURN T SENDER FROM: NAME. ADDRESS AND PHONE NO. DATE I : ~T1 MO 1 48 0~ 8Y0 FORM NO, 23'7 Use previous editions (40) 1-67