Jet set

Foolishly, I haven't linked to the past few stories by Daniel Hopsicker. His recent investigation of the Skyway drug jet bust relates to the current controversy over the Mexican election, since both the Mexican authorities and the Republican party seem to be in on it. Evidence indicates that the coke plane had ties to the spook world.

For a bit of historical background, you may want to go here to see a memo from Ollie North, back in the heyday of Iran-Contra:

On February 10, 1986, Owen ("TC") wrote North (this time as "BG," for "Blood and Guts") regarding a plane being used to carry "humanitarian aid" to the contras that was previously used to transport drugs. The plane belongs to the Miami-based company Vortex, which is run by Michael Palmer, one of the largest marijuana traffickers in the United States. Despite Palmer's long history of drug smuggling, which would soon lead to a Michigan indictment on drug charges, Palmer receives over $300,000.00 from the Nicaraguan Humanitarian Aid Office (NHAO) -- an office overseen by Oliver North, Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs Elliott Abrams, and CIA officer Alan Fiers -- to ferry supplies to the contras

The actual letter by North contains this memorable section:

No doubt you know that the DC4 Foley got was used at one time to run drugs and part of the crew had criminal records. Nice group the boys chose. The company is also one that Mario has been invovled with using in the past, only they had a quick name change. Incompetence reins.

That last sentence is a classic. Of course, I make mistakes of that sort two.

(You did notice the reference to the "quick name change," didn't you? That detail is directly relevant to the case Hopsicker is looking into.)