DRUG CONTROL IN SOUTH AMERICA HAVING LIMITED SUCCESS SOME PROGRESS BUT PROBLEMS ARE FORMIDABLE

• NCJ Number: 60371
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 45 pages
• Corporate Author: US Comptroller General
• Sale Source: Azimuth Inc.
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: THERE IS A CHARGE FOR MORE THAN ONE COPY. REPORT TO THE CONGRESS

Annotation

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL DRUG CONTROL PROGRAM IN SOUTH AMERICA, INITIATED BY THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION (DEA) WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, IS EVALUATED.

Abstract

A CENTRAL GOAL OF THE DRUG CONTROL PROGRAM IN SOUTH AMERICA IS THE CONTROL OF COCAINE. COCAINE INTERDICTION IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE DRUG HAS HIGH ABUSE POTENTIAL, PROFITS FROM COCAINE TRAFFIC CAN BE USED TO FINANCE ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN MORE DANGEROUS DRUGS, AND THE LARGE FLOW OF MONEY GENERATED BY ILLICIT DRUG PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION UNDERMINES A COUNTRY'S SOCIOECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INTEGRITY. THE DRUG CONTROL PROGRAM OF THE DEA IS MULTIFACETED BUT ESSENTIALLY CONSISTS OF ENFORCEMENT AIMED DIRECTLY AT DRUG DEALERS AND ASSISTANCE TO DEVELOP HOST COUNTRY NARCOTICS CONTROL CAPABILITIES. DRUG CONTROL PROGRAM OFFICIALS BELIEVE THAT COCAINE FLOW INTO THE UNITED STATES IS INCREASING. PERU AND BOLIVIA ARE MAJOR PRODUCERS OF COCA, FROM WHICH COCAINE IS MADE. COLUMBIA IS THE PRIMARY PROCESSING AND TRANSMITTING COUNTRY FOR COCAINE AND HAS SURPASSED MEXICO IN MARIJUANA PRODUCTION. THE DRUG CONTROL PROGRAM IN SOUTH AMERICA HAS HAD MINIMAL EFFECTS ON THE FLOW OF NARCOTICS. ONE PROBLEM HINDERING ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS, AND RECOGNIZED BY THE DEA, IS A LACK OF SYSTEMATICALLY-ANALYZED INTELLIGENCE. THE REAL KEY TO PROGRAM SUCCESS, HOWEVER, IS STRONGER COMMITMENT BY SOUTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENTS TO CONTROL THE DRUG FLOW. CROP SUBSTITUTION IS ONE APPROACH TO REDUCING THE FLOW OF COCAINE INTO THE UNITED STATES, BUT PROSPECTS FOR LIMITING COCA PRODUCTION IN SOUTH AMERICA ARE UNFAVORABLE BECAUSE NO ALTERNATIVE CROP HAS BEEN FOUND THAT CAN MATCH COCA'S ECONOMIC RETURN, COCA HAS BECOME INGRAINED IN THE LOCAL CULTURE, AND COCA CAN BE GROWN EASILY IN MANY AREAS. THE DEA PARTICIPATES IN NUMEROUS DRUG ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITITES, INCLUDING UNDERCOVER SURVEILLANCE, TRAINING, AND INTERVIEWING ARRESTEES, BUT THERE ARE PROHIBITIONS ON FOREIGN POLICE ARREST ACTIONS. THE MONITORING OF NARCOTICS CONTROL EQUIPMENT IS A PROBLEM AS WELL. APPENDIXES CONTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON DRUG CONTROL IN SOUTH AMERICA. (DEP)