NCJ Number
142272
Date Published
Unknown
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Maryland's geographic location, highway infrastructure, and possession of a major airport and seaport make it well- suited for both international and interstate drug trafficking.
Abstract
Drug law enforcement in Maryland is enhanced by cooperative agreements between State police and Federal agencies including, inter alia, the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs Service, and Coast Guard. The Maryland State Police Bureau of Drug Enforcement spearheads the State's programs and operations targeted toward the investigation and apprehension of traffickers. Highway interdiction, assisted by aggressive patrol tactics and the use of intelligence, is key in intercepting traffickers as they travel around the major corridors within Maryland. A trooper who has stopped a car will try to detect hidden compartments and other concealment devices, sometimes using detection dogs to facilitate the process. At the Baltimore-Washington International Airport, customs officials conduct random luggage inspections, look for false bottoms in suitcases, and focus on luggage originating in suspect countries. Most maritime interdiction activities are handled by Federal agents who conduct both partial and full cargo inspections. Investigators are also trained to detect individual drug couriers. In a recent survey, Maryland law enforcement officers recommended three types of advance technology: a hand-held body scanner to detect illicit drugs, an x-ray machine linked to artificial intelligence, and a global positioning system to track merchandise or suspect persons.