Illegal drug trade in Haiti
Encyclopedia
The illegal drug trade in Haiti involves trans-shipment of cocaine
and marijuana to the United States. It is a major shipment route. The island of Hispaniola
, which Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic
, places it in an ideal location for drug smugglers, between Colombia
and Puerto Rico
. Because Puerto Rico is part of the Commonwealth of the United States, shipments are generally not subject to further US Customs inspection after reaching it. However cocaine is often smuggled directly to Miami in freighters. "U.S. government agencies estimate that 83 metric tons or about eight percent of the cocaine entering the United States in 2006 transited either Haiti or the Dominican Republic." Throughout the late 1980s and into the 1990s, leading members of the Haitian military, intelligence and police were involved in the illegal drug trade in Haiti, assisting Colombian drug traffickers smuggling drugs into the United States. Corruption in Haiti remains extremely high, and suspicions of continued drug-related corruption remain.
, a deal had been sealed with Michel François
, commander of the Haitian police, in a 1984 visit to Medellin by François. François and other military commanders were said to have protected 70,000 pounds of cocaine shipments in 1987. François was said to have had a landing strip for cocaine shipments built on the property of Col. Jean-Claude Paul
, and been paid between $1m and $4m. Taboada also identified General Prosper Avril
as involved. Other Colombian traffickers (Enrique Arroyave and Carlos Marcantoni) identified François and General Raoul Cédras
as among a group of Haitian military attending a 1987 party in Colombia held to celebrate the Colombia-Haiti drug connection's shipment of 66,000 pounds of cocaine. The group were said to have been paid $10m for their assistance. The Senate also heard testimony that General Williams Régala
and General Henri Namphy
were also involved in drug trafficking.
After the 1986 overthrow of Jean-Claude Duvalier
the US Central Intelligence Agency
created the Service d'Intelligence National
(SIN), a Haiti
an intelligence agency
. The unit, staffed by officers of the Haitian army, "engaged in drug trafficking and political violence". The CIA provided half a million to a million dollars per year to train SIN in counter-narcotics, but the group produced no intelligence and instead used their training against political opponents. The members of the unit were known to torture Jean-Bertrand Aristide
supporters.
After the 1990 elections, new President Jean-Bertrand Aristide
's government sought to restrict the drug trade, and "throughout Aristide's brief tenure in office, DEA agents worked closely with Haitian military narcotics services, investigating an illegal cocaine network estimated to be moving some $300-$500 million worth of cocaine into the U.S. per year." Aristide's actions against drug smuggling may have contributed to his overthrow in the 1991 Haitian coup d'état
. After the coup (led by Raoul Cédras
), members of the new coup regime, notably Chief of National Police Michel François
, were accused of drug smuggling at a much greater rate.
After the coup, the local DEA office was shut down, re-opening in 1992. After DEA intelligence then led to the arrest of a SIN member, the local agent received death threats from the arrested man's boss, and he fled the country. A 1992 US State Department report noted that Aristide was "planning new policies and institutions to combat narcotics trafficking, [and] his ouster...crippled narcotics control efforts in Haiti." An internal 1993 US Congress memo stated that "all those jailed for drug-trafficking have been released and...Michel Francois has personally supervised the landing of planes carrying drugs and weapons." The US later indicted François but was unable to secure his extradition from Honduras.
A former paramilitary leader of the 2004 Haitian rebellion, Guy Philippe
, is also wanted on drug charges.
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and marijuana to the United States. It is a major shipment route. The island of Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
, which Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, places it in an ideal location for drug smugglers, between Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. Because Puerto Rico is part of the Commonwealth of the United States, shipments are generally not subject to further US Customs inspection after reaching it. However cocaine is often smuggled directly to Miami in freighters. "U.S. government agencies estimate that 83 metric tons or about eight percent of the cocaine entering the United States in 2006 transited either Haiti or the Dominican Republic." Throughout the late 1980s and into the 1990s, leading members of the Haitian military, intelligence and police were involved in the illegal drug trade in Haiti, assisting Colombian drug traffickers smuggling drugs into the United States. Corruption in Haiti remains extremely high, and suspicions of continued drug-related corruption remain.
History
According to Haitian security expert Michel Laguerre, Haiti became internationally significant in drug trafficking in 1985. According to 1994 testimony to the US Senate by Gabriel Taboada of the Colombian Medellin cartelMedellín Cartel
The Medellín Cartel was an organized network of "drug suppliers and smugglers" originating in the city of Medellín, Colombia. The drug cartel operated in Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Central America, the United States, as well as Canada and Europe throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It was founded and...
, a deal had been sealed with Michel François
Michel François
Joseph-Michel François was a colonel in the Haitian army. As Haiti Chief of National Police he participated in the 1991 Haitian coup d'état, which overthrew Haiti's elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The Haitian Presidential candidate Michel "Sweet Mickey" Martelly is known to have...
, commander of the Haitian police, in a 1984 visit to Medellin by François. François and other military commanders were said to have protected 70,000 pounds of cocaine shipments in 1987. François was said to have had a landing strip for cocaine shipments built on the property of Col. Jean-Claude Paul
Jean-Claude Paul
Lt. Col. Jean-Claude Paul was a Haitian military officer alleged to have been involved in the illegal drug trade in Haiti. He was indicted by a Miami court on 10 March 1988 for allegedly trafficking cocaine. He was found dead in November 1989.Paul's battalion was responsible for security in...
, and been paid between $1m and $4m. Taboada also identified General Prosper Avril
Prosper Avril
Prosper Avril is a Haitian political figure who was President of Haiti from 1988 to 1990. A trusted member of François Duvalier's Presidential Guard and adviser to Jean-Claude Duvalier, Lt. Gen. Avril led the September 1988 Haitian coup d'état against a transition military government installed...
as involved. Other Colombian traffickers (Enrique Arroyave and Carlos Marcantoni) identified François and General Raoul Cédras
Raoul Cédras
Raoul Cédras is a former military officer, and was de facto ruler of Haiti from 1991 to 1994.-Background:Cédras was educated in the United States and was a member of the US-trained Leopard Corps...
as among a group of Haitian military attending a 1987 party in Colombia held to celebrate the Colombia-Haiti drug connection's shipment of 66,000 pounds of cocaine. The group were said to have been paid $10m for their assistance. The Senate also heard testimony that General Williams Régala
Williams Régala
Williams Régala is a former member of Haiti's National Council of Government. He was a member of the short-lived first council , as well as the second council, which ruled until 7 February 1988, when Leslie Manigat took office. Régala had been the head of the secret service under Jean-Claude...
and General Henri Namphy
Henri Namphy
Henri Namphy was a Haitian general and political figure. He served as President of Haiti's interim ruling body, the National Council of Government, from 7 February 1986 to 7 February 1988...
were also involved in drug trafficking.
After the 1986 overthrow of Jean-Claude Duvalier
Jean-Claude Duvalier
Jean-Claude Duvalier, nicknamed "Bébé Doc" or "Baby Doc" was the President of Haiti from 1971 until his overthrow by a popular uprising in 1986. He succeeded his father, François "Papa Doc" Duvalier, as the ruler of Haiti upon his father's death in 1971...
the US Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
created the Service d'Intelligence National
Service d'Intelligence National
Service d'Intelligence National was a Haitian intelligence agency created by the US Central Intelligence Agency after the 1986 overthrow of Jean-Claude Duvalier. The unit, staffed by officers of the Haitian army, "engaged in drug trafficking and political violence"...
(SIN), a Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an intelligence agency
Intelligence agency
An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public...
. The unit, staffed by officers of the Haitian army, "engaged in drug trafficking and political violence". The CIA provided half a million to a million dollars per year to train SIN in counter-narcotics, but the group produced no intelligence and instead used their training against political opponents. The members of the unit were known to torture Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian former Catholic priest and politician who served as Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies...
supporters.
After the 1990 elections, new President Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian former Catholic priest and politician who served as Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies...
's government sought to restrict the drug trade, and "throughout Aristide's brief tenure in office, DEA agents worked closely with Haitian military narcotics services, investigating an illegal cocaine network estimated to be moving some $300-$500 million worth of cocaine into the U.S. per year." Aristide's actions against drug smuggling may have contributed to his overthrow in the 1991 Haitian coup d'état
1991 Haitian coup d'état
The 1991 Haitian coup d'état took place on 29 September 1991 when President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, elected 8 months earlier in the Haitian general election, 1990–1991, was deposed by the Haitian army. The coup was led by Army General Raoul Cédras, Army Chief of Staff Phillipe Biamby and Chief of...
. After the coup (led by Raoul Cédras
Raoul Cédras
Raoul Cédras is a former military officer, and was de facto ruler of Haiti from 1991 to 1994.-Background:Cédras was educated in the United States and was a member of the US-trained Leopard Corps...
), members of the new coup regime, notably Chief of National Police Michel François
Michel François
Joseph-Michel François was a colonel in the Haitian army. As Haiti Chief of National Police he participated in the 1991 Haitian coup d'état, which overthrew Haiti's elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The Haitian Presidential candidate Michel "Sweet Mickey" Martelly is known to have...
, were accused of drug smuggling at a much greater rate.
After the coup, the local DEA office was shut down, re-opening in 1992. After DEA intelligence then led to the arrest of a SIN member, the local agent received death threats from the arrested man's boss, and he fled the country. A 1992 US State Department report noted that Aristide was "planning new policies and institutions to combat narcotics trafficking, [and] his ouster...crippled narcotics control efforts in Haiti." An internal 1993 US Congress memo stated that "all those jailed for drug-trafficking have been released and...Michel Francois has personally supervised the landing of planes carrying drugs and weapons." The US later indicted François but was unable to secure his extradition from Honduras.
A former paramilitary leader of the 2004 Haitian rebellion, Guy Philippe
Guy Philippe
Guy Philippe is a Haitian politician. When Jean-Claude Duvalier was toppled in 1986, he was 17 years old which makes claims that he was an alleged former Tonton Macoute leaderpreposterous. he lead the 2004 Haitian rebellion that ousted Jean-Bertrand Aristide and he was a presidential candidate in...
, is also wanted on drug charges.
External links
- Haiti’s Nightmare: The Cocaine Coup & The CIA Connection
- Project CensoredProject CensoredProject Censored is a non-profit, media criticism and investigative journalism project within the Sonoma State University Foundation. It is managed through the School of Social Sciences at the university....
, 1994, Haiti: Drugs, Thugs, The CIA And the Deterrence Of Democracy