Drug Enforcement Administration - Term Paper Example

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Table of Contents I. Introduction ………………………………………………………………. 3 II. History of Drug Enforcement Administration ...……………………….. 3 III. Duties and Operations of Drug Enforcement Administration ………. 5 IV. Conclusion ……………………………………………………………….. 7 References ……………………………………………………………………….. 8 Introduction Back in 1960s, as much as four million Americans were able to try illegal drugs such as cocaine, heroin and marijuana. (U.S. DEA, 2008b) Over the years, the number of drug users in the country has increased to as much as 74 million individuals throughout the United States. As part of the negative effects of using illegal drugs, the number of crime rates in the United States has significantly increased from 1960s up to the present time. (U.S. DEA, 2008d) In line with the increasing drug-related problems throughout the country, the researcher will investigate the history behind the existing U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) followed by discussion its duties and operations. History of Drug Enforcement Administration In 1915, the U.S. government had its first group of federal drug law enforcement under the Bureau of Internal Revenue. (U.S. DEA, 2008b) Since then, several federal agencies were operating to control the drug law enforcement throughout the country. Aiming to cut down the number of federal agencies that control the drug law enforcement throughout the United States, only two federal agencies known as the Bureau of Drug Abuse Control (BDAC) and the federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) were legally allowed to operate in the country in 1960s. (U.S. DEA, 2008b) In 1968, the Congress of Reorganization Plan No. 1 proposed combining the BDAC and FBN into a single drug enforcement agency. (U.S. DEA, 2008b) It was under the Executive Order No. 11727 of July 1973 that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was established by President Richard Nixon for the purpose of developing a “unified command that could fight the global war on drug-related threats and hazard.” (U.S. DEA, 2008a, b) Basically, the development of a single federal agency was formed to enable the U.S. government to have a strong coordination of its activities related to drug control. In 1975, DEA developed its first central tactical units (CENTAC) which deals with major global drug trafficing organizations throughout the country. (U.S. DEA, 2008c) The CENTACs has been very effective in their investigation works and capturing of the major sources and traffickers of heroin, cocaine and other illegal drugs such as LSD, PCP and amphetamines worldwide. During the last quarter of 1976, DEA established the Office of Compliance and Regulatory Affairs (OCRA) in order to focus on the diversion of legitimate drugs. (U.S. DEA, 2008c) In line with the main responsibility of OCRA includes monitoring the intentional abuse with regards to the use of prescription drugs such as methaqualone, amphetamine, barbiturates and methamphetamine. In January 1982, DEA joined force with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in order to combat illegal drug trafficking, money laundering and other related crimes. (U.S. DEA, 2008d) As part of the joint force between FBI and DEA, CENTAC was re-assigned to perform a specific drug operations. During the last quarter of 1982, 12 additional Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) was established to fully utilize the drug enforcement contribution of the FBI, DEA, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Immigration and Naturalization Service, U.S. Marshal Services, U.S. Customs Service, and the Coast Guard. (U.S. DEA, 2008d) In 1987, DEA together with Bureau of International Narcotics Matters (INM) joint effort in ‘Operation Snowcap’ to disrupt the production process and transportion of cocaine industry. (U.S. DEA, 2008e) In 1989, DEA and other federal agencies actively participated in the Operation Polar Cap to investigate on illegal drug-related money-laundering in U.S. (U.S. DEA, 2008e) In line with illegal drug trafficking in Caribbean, DEA’s Carribbean Field Division established the UNICORN system in 1998 to communicate with the Caribbean law enforcement agencies to solve the crime. (U.S. DEA, 2008g) To prevent the spread of methamphetamine, the Integrated Drug Enforcement Assistance (IDEA) program was implemented. (U.S. DEA, 2008g) With a total government budget of $75 million in 1973, DEA was able to hire a total of 1,1470 Special Agents who were operating within its 43 foreign offices throughout 31 countries. With a government budget of $2.3 billion thirty-five years after DEA was established, the government agency was able to hire as much as 5,235 Special Agents throughout its 86 foreign offices in 62 countries. (U.S. DEA, 2008a) Duties and Operations of Drug Enforcement Administration Majority of illegal drug trafficking activities runned by the local and international syndicates operates from its headquarters located in Columbia and Mexico. (U.S. DEA, 2008b) Based on a report, Mexico is considered the major source of heroin and other dangerous drugs such as amphetamines, barbiturates, morphine and marijuana whereas Miami and other domestic ports is where most cocaine and marijuana are being trafficked. (U.S. DEA, 2008c) Basically, the main duty of DEA is to combat both domestic and international drug manufacturing and trafficking througout the country. Aside from working with the FBI, DEA became responsible in managing the National Narcotics Intelligence System with the federal, state, local and foreign officials when it comes to coordinating the collected, analyzed, and disseminated drug intelligence since early 1990s. (U.S. DEA, 2008f) In 1976, DEA together with the assistance of the Mexican government implemented the ‘poppy eradication program’1 known as the ‘Operation Trizo’. (U.S. DEA, 2008c) Using the helicopters donated by the U.S. government, the Mexican nationals were assigned to spray herbicides onto poppy fields found in Durango, Sinaloa, and Chihuahua. In 1977, the major concern of DEA shifted from heroin, cocaine and other minor illegal drugs to the laboratories and trafficking of phencyclidine (PCP). (U.S. DEA, 2008c) Most of the PCP drugs was produced at the clandestine lab in Los Angeles. Aside from focusing on PCP drug manufacturers and traffickers, DEA was also concentrating on capturing the people behind the shipments of cocaine and Columbian marijuana between the periods of mid-1970s to early 1980s. (U.S. DEA, 2008c) Aiming to capture these big-time drug traffickers, DEA created its ‘Operation Stopgap’ in 1975. In 1980, DEA established the Operation Swordfish which conducted a major investigation on international drug organizations in Miami. In the process, DEA set up a bogus money laundering corporation called Dean International Investments, Inc. Basically, drug trafficking and smuggling problems related to Colombian marijuana, the Southwest Asian heroin, a sedative drug known as methaqualone or ‘quaalude’, the crack epidemic or powdered cocaine, and the existence of Medellin cartel in Colombia are among the major operations of the DEA in 1980s. (U.S. DEA, 2008d, e) DEA was able to combat the Medellin cartel when the cartel leaders Fabio Ochoa and Jorge Luis surrendered to the authorities and other top leaders were killed in 1991. (U.S. DEA, 2008f) Even though a new group called ‘Cali Mafia’ was formed in 1990s, Cali leaders were arrested in 1995. During 1990s, DEA also developed the Kingpin strategy to enable the Special Agents to effectively investigate and enforce drug trafficking and Mobile Enforcement Team (MET) to combat domestic crimes caused by the use of illegal drugs. (U.S. DEA, 2008f) It was also during the early 1990s when DEA set up its own bank to trace drug traffickers via laundered money. Among the major DEA operations in 1990s includes the trafficking of cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, and steroids. (U.S. DEA, 2008e, f) Aside from implementing the Operation Tar Pit to investigate the smugglers and traffickers of black tar heroin; DEA was able to seize LSD manufacturing laboratory as well as the major methamphetamine and Ecstasy drug laboratories in California between 2000 to 2001. (U.S. DEA, 2008g) Methamphetamine and new illegal drug like ecstasy pills or ‘club drugs’ which was operated by Red Tide was seized back in July 2000. With the assistance of the U.S. Coast Guards, DEA’s Caribbean Field Division was able to arrest the people behind the Caribbean drug traffickers. (U.S. DEA, 2008g) Conclusion DEA has been successful in terms of investigating and catching illegal drug manufacturers and traffickers worldwide. In line with the increasing number of illegal drug users, DEA needs additional manpower to effectively fulfill its role to the public. References: U.S. DEA. (2008a). Retrieved April 24, 2008, from DEA History: http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/history.htm U.S. DEA. (2008b). Retrieved April 24, 2008, from 1970 - 1975: http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/history/1970-1975.html U.S. DEA. (2008c). Retrieved April 24, 2008, from 1975 - 1980: http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/history/1975-1980.html U.S. DEA. (2008d). Retrieved April 24, 2008, from 1980 - 1985: http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/history/1980-1985.html U.S. DEA. (2008e). Retrieved April 24, 2008, from 1985 - 1990: http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/history/1985-1990.html U.S. DEA. (2008f). Retrieved April 24, 2008, from 1990 - 1994: http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/history/1990-1994.html U.S. DEA. (2008g). Retrieved April 24, 2008, from 1999 - 2003: http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/history/1999-2003.html Read More