Powderburns: Cocaine, Contras & the Drug War

by Dave Harmon

The truth about the remaining dark secret of the Iran-Contra scandal- the United States government's collaboration with drug smugglers. Powderburns is the story of Celerino Castillo III who spent 12 years in the Drug Enforcement Administration. During that time, he built cases against organized drug rings in Manhattan, raided jungle cocaine labs in the Amazon, conducted aerial eradication operations in Guatemala, and assembled and trained anti-narcotics units in several countries. The eerie climax of Agent Castillo's career with the DEA took place in El Salvador. One day, he recieved a cable from a fellow agent. He was told to investigate possible drug smuggling by Nicaraguan Contras operating from the ilpango air force base. Castillo quickly discovered that Contra pilots were, indeed, smuggling narcotics back into the United States - using the same pilots, planes, and hangars that the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, under the Direction of Lt. Col. Oliver North, used to maintain their covert supply operation to the Contras.

Genres: Conspiracy Theories, True Crime, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Cwn_annwn_13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powderburns is Cellie Castillo recapping his career as a soldier, police officer and DEA agent. This culminates in him figuring out that the CIA was helping the Contras smuggle Cocaine into America. He would present the evidence and of course he would be given the runaround, ignored and finally after a while his career was ruined, as well as his life was in serious danger. Castillo put his life on the line as a soldier in Vietnam and as a cop and DEA agent and this was the reward he was given. This is just another example of the United States government being caught redhanded in international dealing of dangerous life destroying hard drugs. But hey keep locking those pot smokers up in the phony drug war money making scam back in the States.

[Sean Everson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this is an all too common occurrence for those who give their heart and soul to the United States. This man had the best intentions to make the world better, but was chewed up by the federal government and spit out with his marriage destroyed, no allies, no career, and extreme PTSD as a parting gift. He's a damn hero, but they made him a criminal because he didn't play by their (unequivocally corrupt) rules. It's an absolute embarrassment and shameful.