NCJ Number
62885
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
INTERAGENCY AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION IS USED IN DRUG ENFORCEMENT TO STEM THE DRUG TRAFFIC FROM LATIN AMERICA INTO THE UNITED STATES BY ATTACKING IT AT OR NEAR ITS SOURCE.
Abstract
INTERDICTION OF DRUG TRAFFIC AT BORDER POINTS IS ONLY A SMALL PART OF DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS. THROUGH INTERAGENCY COOPERATION WITHIN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND JOINT LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS WITH NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS WHERE DRUG PRODUCTION AND TRAFFICKING ORIGINATES, INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION HAS BEEN DEVELOPED WHICH FACILITATES THE CAPTURE OF LARGE AMOUNTS OF DRUGS AT OR NEAR THEIR POINT OF ORIGIN AND THE PROSECUTION OF MAJOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS. A SIGNIFICANT EFFORT AT FEDERAL INTERAGENCY COOPERATION IS EVIDENCED IN THE EL PASO INTELLIGENCE CENTER (EPIC), AN INTERAGENCY INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM MANAGED BY THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION WITH THE FOLLOWING AGENCIES PARTICIPATING: IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE, CUSTOMS, COAST GUARD, AND FEDERAL AVIATION AGENCIES. THROUGH EPIC, AGENCY PERSONNEL COOPERATIVELY ASSEMBLE AND SHARE INTELLIGENCE WITH OPERATIONAL ENFORCEMENT ELEMENTS OF ALL MEMBER AGENCIES AS WELL AS OTHER GOVERNMENTS. THE SUCCESS OF THESE EFFORTS IS INDICATED PRIMARILY THROUGH A REDUCTION IN THE NATIONAL RETAIL HEROIN PURITY (WITH PRICE AN INVERSE COROLLARY) AND A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF HEROIN-RELATED DEATHS AND INJURIES. THESE PRIMARY INDICATORS SUGGEST A DECLINING TREND IN THE AMOUNT OF ILLICIT DRUGS BEING MARKETED. ANOTHER FACTOR BELIEVED RELATED TO THIS DECLINE IS THE DESTRUCTION OF POPPY FIELDS BEING USED FOR HEROIN PRODUCTION. GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED ON RETAIL HEROIN PURITY VERSUS ACRES OF POPPIES DESTROYED, HEROIN TRANSPORT AT THE MEXICAN BORDER, AND HEROIN TRANSPORT WITHIN MEXICO. (RCB)