When the CIA was formed they wanted spies everywhere. The Nazis already had spies in many places so the CIA just took them over. Operation Paperclip helped.
The CIA helped Chiang Kai Shek in his fight against Mao Tse Tung (or however they transliterate it this week) and Chiang used drug money to finance his cause. The CIA liked that idea so adopted it. But there's more ...
Apart from an ex-WW2 spy network there were also "stay behind armies" and, in Italy, there was already the basis of a money-laundering organisation. The Catholic Church had collections in all its churches so was used to processing mountains of cash. No-one would question someone taking cash into the Vatican. Why not set up your own bank, away from any pesky oversight, and process drug cash as well. Think how much above standard rate they could charge.
Col Prouty received a CIA medal for his 10 years of work at the Pentagon supporting most CIA activies around the world including in Tibet, the Bay of Pigs and U2 flights
When the CIA was formed they wanted spies everywhere. The Nazis already had spies in many places so the CIA just took them over. Operation Paperclip helped.
The CIA helped Chiang Kai Shek in his fight against Mao Tse Tung (or however they transliterate it this week) and Chiang used drug money to finance his cause. The CIA liked that idea so adopted it. But there's more ...
Apart from an ex-WW2 spy network there were also "stay behind armies" and, in Italy, there was already the basis of a money-laundering organisation. The Catholic Church had collections in all its churches so was used to processing mountains of cash. No-one would question someone taking cash into the Vatican. Why not set up your own bank, away from any pesky oversight, and process drug cash as well. Think how much above standard rate they could charge.
Much of this is described in documents about Operation Gladio and this.
Listen to Col Fletcher Prouty over 4 hours of Audio see link below at the end of the page are the audio links
http://southernstarradio.com/2020/03/31/the-secret-team-l-fletcher-prouty/
Col Prouty received a CIA medal for his 10 years of work at the Pentagon supporting most CIA activies around the world including in Tibet, the Bay of Pigs and U2 flights
Read his book for free in the link below
https://www.ratical.org/ratville/JFK/ST/
THE SECRET TEAM
The CIA and Its Allies in Control of the United States and the World