Counterdrug Operations Case Study

The DEA is the primary agency to enforce federal drug laws and follow up on drug investigations in foreign countries. The DEA mission is “to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States to those organizations and principal members of organizations, involved in the growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances for illicit traffic in the United State” (Drug Enforcement Administration, n.d., ¶ 1). Some of the responsibilities under the DEA include investigating and preparing for prosecutions of offenders who operate in the U.S. and internationally. Drug offenders also include local gangs who carry out drug distribution in our communities. DEA manages a national drug intellect program in collaboration with local, state, federal, and foreign officials to gather and investigate distribution tactics.

For almost 40 years now the longest and most unsuccessful war in the United States has been the war on drugs. Resulting in 45million arrests and $1 trillion dollars in government spending, the war on drugs has been nothing more than a way of income for public officers and other law enforcement officials. The effort behind the war on drugs is solemnly to reduce illegal drug use and trade. This plan includes a set of drug policies that are intended to discourage the production, distribution, and consumption of these popular and wide spread narcotics.

From the time the war on drugs began law enforcement developed a variety of strategies and tactics to combat drugs. For example, stop and frisk laws, drug courier profiles, and SWAT teams or tasks forces, all

The country’s borders make the most important part in the process of reducing drug trafficking in the U.S. Drug law enforcement agencies face enormous challenges when it comes to

The United States of America has been more or less victorious in every war this nation has been involved in since the beginning of modern American history except one, the war on drugs. What makes this war uniquely terrifying is the fact that this is the first modern age war to be fought on American soil. Just in the year 2014 the war on drugs claimed a little over seven times as many American lives as pearl harbor and 9/11 combined. However, the death toll isn’t the only thing that’s rising. Each year the cost of waging this war climbs higher and higher. Over the past four decades the United States as poured over one trillion dollars into fighting drugs inside our own boarders, relying on taxpayers to supply the capital. While the Obama administration assured Americans the border was

In the twenty-first century there is a plethora of drugs distributing from Mexico to the United States all the way to Canada causing numerous people to be sentenced to prison, to depart from their families, and to even die. Luckily, there is one law enforcement agency created by the U.S. government to banish these horrible facets, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Breaking down and destroying drug empires, arresting the kingpin leaders of illegal narcotics, and trying to put an end to this terrorizing crime. Drug cartels have always been an enormous issue all across the globe, but the DEA is like the superhero trying to fight

When I think about current policy, I know how important it is for America to secure borders and not only reduce Mexican meth, but production of meth within the United States borders. Also, the continuance of offering treatment options to offenders, relieving some of the burden on our overcrowded prison system. Finding effective ways for abusers of any substance to overcome their addictions and helping these people find another way to live and integrate back into society. The 2015 Strategy Focuses on seven core areas: stopping drug use in our neighborhoods, pursuing early intervention chances in health care, merging treatment for substance use disorders into health care and aiding recovery, ending the cycle of drugs, use, crime, and incarceration, obstruction of domestic drug trafficking and production, enhancing international partnerships, and revising information systems to better concentrate on drug abuse and its ramifications (Whitehouse.gov, 2015). It is a comprehensive approach that focuses on prevention, treatment, and enforcement. Federal agencies, mainly the DEA, enforce controlled substance laws in all states and territories, but the bulk of drug crimes known to US Law Enforcement remain handled at a state level. It’s estimated that only 10-15% of illicit stores are actually get confiscated by federal agencies each year (Hart, Pg.72). I know someone who does this for a living and says

The United States have declared that it is doing its best to combat the war on drugs. The drug problem has not stopped and the people continue to buy drugs no matter what circumstances they are obtained. With drugs prices rising, people are willing do anything to get drugs even if it leads them to become involved in criminal activities such as robbery. The money and military activity have not been enough, and the “urban problem,” has not been resolved. The United States has the largest demand of drugs in the world. While other countries also face the drug problem, the United States has spent the most money and law enforcement; however, its effectiveness is questionable. Consequently, now there is a great amount of drugs coming from Mexico’s borderline into the United States. The drug cartels have become more violent, killing Mexican officers and innocent people in order to smuggle their drugs. The United States needs more security control and better coordination between agencies to fight the violent Mexican drug war spilling across the southern border. There is not enough organization between the D.E.A and other groups such as the Department of Homeland Security. The United States has little hope of winning the war unless enough protection on the border and Border States are developed. The agencies need better coordination between the federal, state and locals agencies in order to prevent more drugs to cross

No matter who has occupied the executive branch, the United States has pursued the same overall policies throughout the drug war. Anti-drug policies can be separated into two general camps, 'supply-reduction ' and 'demand-reduction’ (McCabe 5). Supply-reduction strategies seek to reduce the availability of drugs by limiting access to drug sources and increasing the risks of drug possession and distribution. Demand-reduction strategies, on the other hand, seek to reduce demand for illegal drugs through drug use prevention and treatment. The rhetoric of war helped shape the strategies that were used to combat the perceived drug threat.

Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs with various other law enforcement and intelligence gathering agencies, including the ODALE, was given the responsibility of enforcing the nation’s federal drug laws. It’s enormous sphere of influence is reflected in its Mission Statement which states among other things; “The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration is to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States, or any other competent jurisdiction, those organizations and principal members of organizations involved in the growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for illicit traffic in the United States…”(15) The DEA was designed as an American agency with an international agenda.

The War on Drugs has been a common phrase in the United States for many decades. What exactly does this mean and how does it shape U.S. foreign policy? The War on Drugs can be defined as the systematic and aggressive policy that is determined to undermine and stop the flow of illegal drugs into the United States. This policy is backed by several U.S. institutions including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Customs. Also, included in this list are the numerous local law enforcement agencies across the country.

The Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local law enforcement encourage offers more than millions of dollars in federal aids to state and local law enforcement agencies willing to wage the war. (Nationally,40% of all Byrne grant is narcotics tasks and 90% of grant toward to the specific narcotics tasks forces)

The Alabama Counterdrug Program supports federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in a multi-front battle against drugs and drug-related violence. The program provides high-quality military personnel and equipment to support agencies throughout the state at no cost who provide analytical, operational, and technical case support.

Tackling the War on Drugs (CD) and Combating Transnational Crime Organizations (TCO) is an important national security problem. While addressing this issue in a scholastic forum, I immersed myself into this problem set using the guidance of assuming the role of Colonel Tim Killian. Utilizing the provided case and the ADIA framework and course concepts, I reviewed and assessed the information presented. The goal of Joint Task Force North (JTFN) J-5 is to develop a “strategy for military support to counter drug efforts and more broadly fight transnational organized crime.”

The drug problem in the U.S. and around the world is an important issue and seems to be a difficult problem to tackle across the board. The inflow of drugs has become one of the largest growths in transnational crime operations; illicit drug use in the United States makes it very difficult for nation states police and customs forces to get a handle on the issues. War on drugs, drug trafficking has long been an issue for the United States. There has been a proclamation of “war on drugs” for the past 44 years.