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An Overview of
Federal Drug Control Programs
on the Southwest Border

Department of State

PROGRAM SUMMARY

The State Department, as lead foreign affairs agency, is responsible for the overall execution and coordination of U.S. policy toward Mexico, including law enforcement and counternarcotics cooperation. While the Department operates exclusively in the foreign arena, it seeks to complement and reinforce U.S. law enforcement efforts along the U.S. southwest border through its diplomatic and program activities in Mexico.

Diplomatic Efforts

The Department promotes bi-national cooperation with Mexico through an array of diplomatic activities. The Border Liaison Mechanism (BLM), in particular, provides a valuable forum for local administrative and law enforcement officials on both sides of the border to use to improve border liaison and cooperation. The BLM was developed in response to a growing need for institutionalized border cooperation. It includes U.S. and Mexican Consuls, civic leaders, inspection agency representatives and law enforcement contacts who meet to share information and discuss problems. The mechanism exists at present in Tijuana/San Diego, Tijuana/Calexico, Nogales/Hermosillo, Ciudad Juarez/El Paso, Laredo/Nuevo Laredo, Matamoros/McAllen, and Matamoros/Brownsville. Additional BLMs are now being planned. They include both regularly-scheduled meetings and emergency meetings in the event of any border incident. The meetings address a wide array of topics, from the civil rights of U.S. and Mexican citizens, ways of enhancing law enforcement cooperation in cases of auto theft and other transborder crime, and child custody issues. Emergency meetings have dealt with problems arising from bridge blockades and incidences of violence.

Counternarcotics Programs

The Department of State's Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) has supported the Mexican anti-drug effort for over two decades. This initially focused on eradication support, but expanded in the late 1980's to include technical and material support for the development of an air interdiction program (Northern Border Response Force) and efforts to combat organized crime. INL organizes and funds counter-drug training for Mexican investigators, police and Navy personnel, ranging from pilot and mechanic training to highly-specialized money laundering investigations. From late 1992 to 1996, as a result of the GOM policy of "Mexicanization" (GOM decision to decline further U.S. Foreign Assistance funding), INL assistance was limited largely to training and completing a number of aviation support projects begun in the early 1990's. However, President Zedillo approved the renewal of INL-provided technical and material support. The specific objectives of the INL-supported program in Mexico include:

  • Preventing use of Mexican territory and territorial waters by international drug trafficking organizations.

  • Dismantling drug organizations and disrupting trafficking and money laundering activities.

  • Controlling money laundering and chemical diversion.

  • Promoting administration of justice and legal reform.

  • Reducing and ultimately eliminating illicit drug crop production.

  • Reducing demand for illicit drugs as well as promoting community mobilization against drug trafficking and abuse in Mexico.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

INL-provided equipment and training, which engages most of the federal law enforcement agencies, have been important in successful Mexican government programs aimed at:

  • Combatting organized crime. INL has provided material support and training to a number of specialized anti-crime units. The Bilateral Border Task Forces, for example, played a key role in dismantling the Gulf Cartel and are continuing these efforts against the major drug cartels in northern Mexico;

  • Interdicting drug shipments from South America via air, maritime and land routes, aiding Mexico in increasing its cocaine seizures in 1997;

  • Reducing illicit drug crop production; as of mid-1997, Mexico had eradicated 43 percent more opium poppy than during the same period in 1996;

  • Implementing stronger money laundering and chemical diversion controls (implementing the new money laundering and chemical legislation) -- State and Treasury have worked together on a project to help Mexico to develop a computerized system for tracking suspicious and large-scale currency transactions to combat money laundering; and

  • Reforming and modernizing its criminal justice system -- State and Justice are working with Mexican authorities to design a U.S. training and technical assistance program to assist in strengthening judicial and law enforcement institutions and practices, training and professionalization, anti-corruption efforts and other reforms.


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