The Fight Against Drug Smuggling

Report Outline
Anti-Drug Efforts
‘Source’ Countries
Intercepting Imports
Special Focus

Anti-Drug Efforts

Little Headway Made Against Illegal Imports

Each of the last four American presidents has come to office promising to plunge the nation into an international war. Each received strong support from Congress and the public, and each won some battles. But after nearly 15 years, the war against illegal drugs—especially the importation of heroin, marijuana and cocaine—has not been brought to a successful conclusion, and there are doubts that it can be.

Drug abuse and the enormous influx of illegal drugs continue to be significant national problems. No one knows for sure how many Americans use illegal drugs or how frequently, but indications are that drug use is rising. The government estimates that the amount of cocaine consumed in the United States increased by about one-third in just two years and that heroin and marijuana consumption also rose. Nor does anyone know precisely how much money is involved in the international drug trade each year, but worldwide it is into the hundreds of billions. The estimated street value of the heroin, cocaine and marijuana seized by the U.S. Customs Service in fiscal 1984 totaled more than $10 billion, and seizures account for a comparatively small percentage of imported drugs.

All heroin and cocaine in the United States is imported as is about 90 percent of the marijuana. Thus the problem for drug enforcement officials is not only to stop smuggling but to gain the cooperation of the countries where plants from which the drugs are derived are grown and processed. There have been some successes. The Reagan administration has cut back cocaine and marijuana imports into southern Florida, long a key entry point for illegal drugs. And the Customs Service reported record annual seizures of heroin and cocaine in the 12 months that ended Sept. 30, 1984. Moreover, several countries, including Colombia, the major supplier of cocaine and marijuana, have begun cooperating more effectively with U.S. drug enforcement officials.