[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 101 (Wednesday, July 16, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S7603]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. Mack, and Mr. Grassley):
  S. 1025. A bill to provide for a study of the south Florida high-
intensity drug trafficking area, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on the Judiciary.


  expansion of south florida hidta to include i-4 corridor legislation

  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill, cosponsored 
by Mr. Mack and Mr. Grassley, which will expand the existing south 
Florida high-intensity drug trafficking area [HIDTA], to include the 
Interstate 4 corridor which runs between Daytona Beach and the Tampa 
Bay area in my home State of Florida.
  Illegal drug activities continue to plague the State of Florida. In 
1994, more than $5 billion in funds from cocaine traffic were laundered 
through south Florida and the I-4 corridor. Over 23 metric tons of 
cocaine were seized during that same time period. Over 250 organized 
drug trafficking groups have been identified as operating between south 
Florida and the I-4 corridor. These statistic are staggering. While 
some progress is being made to limit the spread of illegal drugs, there 
is still a lot of work to be done. I continuously hear from the law 
enforcement personnel operating along the I-4 corridor that they are 
being overwhelmed by the growth in drug trafficking activities in that 
area. Drug traffickers are becoming increasingly proficient in 
distributing drugs. They are using high technology equipment to evade 
detection. They have an extensive communications network, and almost 
unlimited funds with which to pursue their illegal activities. Current 
law enforcement assets are simply no match for the highly organized 
drug operators. Seized assets from drug traffickers in this area during 
1996 included over $425 million in currency and property. The basic 
problem is how do we compete with these highly funded and well equipped 
drug trafficking organizations?
  I repeatedly hear the same story from the Drug Enforcement 
Administration, the Customs Service, the FBI, and the Florida 
Department of Law Enforcement; they need help. This is a problem which 
impacts not only the State of Florida, but it also impacts the entire 
Nation as illegal drugs are distributed from the I-4 corridor to other 
parts of the country.
  The statistics on the growth of the drug industry along the I-4 
corridor are sobering. Nationwide, cheap, high purity heroin is making 
a comeback in popularity, and demand is on the rise. The drug 
syndicates are meeting the growing demands. Cocaine continues as a 
popular recreational drug. As long as there is a demand, drug dealers 
continue to find ways to meet that demand. Despite a massive education 
and public awareness campaign to warn teenagers about the dangers of 
drug use, teen drug arrests have more than doubled in the past 5 years. 
Some of those arrested are as young as 12 years old. In the Orlando 
area, over 1,500 teens between the ages of 12 and 17 years old were 
arrested for using or selling illegal drugs in 1995. The city of 
Orlando, through which the I-4 corridor runs, ranked fifth in the 
Nation for cocaine-related deaths per capita in 1995. Other crimes such 
as shootings, carjackings, robbery, and gang activities are byproducts 
of the drug problem, and are also on the rise in our local communities. 
We are truly battling for the lives of our young people.
  There is a general feeling of despair among the various agencies 
trying to combat this problem. We need to be proactive in helping them. 
Because of its central location, the I-4 corridor is emerging as a hub 
used increasingly by international drug syndicates to distribute their 
goods throughout the Nation. This is a problem which affects us all. 
The use of illegal drugs and drug related deaths are increasing at an 
alarming rate.
  As we saw with the establishment of a HIDTA in south Florida, a 
coordinated Federal, State, and local effort is the key to bringing 
this problem under control. This HIDTA has proven itself as a model of 
efficiency and effectiveness in controlling the expansion of drug 
activities in the area. The existing south Florida HIDTA is a model of 
the results which can occur when the various law enforcement agencies 
mount a coordinated battle with a unified strategy of engagement. We 
have seen moderation in the drug related incidents since the south 
Florida HIDTA was established in 1990. In fact, the success of the 
south Florida HIDTA is partially responsible for the increase in 
illegal drug activity along the I-4 corridor.
  Expanding this successful HIDTA to include the I-4 corridor makes 
common sense. It will allow us to devote additional resources to combat 
a problem which has nationwide implications. By implementing a 
coordinated enforcement strategy directed at combating the problems of 
illegal drugs and violent crime, we demonstrate to the drug community 
that we are dedicated to facing this battle head on--and finally, it 
will show that we are committed protecting the future of our young 
people.

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