Along with the Opium Scandal of 1927 and the Kao case of 1929, the TACA case proves that the government protected drug smugglers to ensure national security, as well as to protect corporate profits. It also highlights the sad fact that case-making agents like Helbrant were aware of such machinations, but were unable to stop them. Anslinger went along with this unstated policy for two reasons: he needed drug addicts to justify his Bureau’s existence and, by allowing certain politically acceptable drug rings to exist, he became a key player in the espionage Establishment.
