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Federal Drug Interdiction Efforts Need Strong Central Oversight

NCJ Number
92237
Date Published
1983
Length
149 pages
Annotation
The Government Accounting Office (GAO) recommends that the President direct the development of a more definitive drug strategy that stipulates the roles of the various agencies with drug enforcement responsibilities.
Abstract
The President should also clearly delegate responsibility to one individual to oversee Federal drug enforcement programs. GAO evaluated the results of drug interdiction programs, the extent of cooperation and coordination among various agencies, the role of intelligence in interdiction efforts, and the ability of the military to assist in drug interdiction. Despite increases in Federal resources devoted to drug interdiction, only 16 percent of the marijuana and less than 10 percent of heroin, cocaine, and dangerous drugs that reentering the United States are seized through total drug enforcement efforts. Footnotes, agency comments made on the evaluation, and appendixes presenting drug seizure data from various agencies are supplied. (Author abstract modified)