Drug Control: Observations on Counternarcotics Efforts in Mexico
(Testimony, 06/12/96, GAO/T-NSIAD-96-182).

GAO discussed counternarcotics activities in Mexico, focusing on: (1)
the nature of the drug-trafficking threat from Mexico; (2) Mexican
government efforts to counter drug-trafficking activities; and (3)
recent initiatives by the United States and Mexico to increase
counternarcotics activities. GAO noted that: (1) U.S. and Mexican drug
interdiction efforts have had little, if any, impact on the flow of
illegal drugs from Mexico to the United States; (2) the amount of
cocaine seized and the number of drug-related arrests have significantly
declined since 1992; (3) widespread corruption, economic difficulties,
and inadequate equipment and personnel training have hampered Mexico's
capabilities to detect and interdict drug traffickers; (4) a substantial
amount of Mexico's resources have been focused on economic concerns; (5)
U.S. counternarcotics assistance has declined by 43 percent since 1992;
(6) U.S. policy decisions and reductions in the counternarcotics program
have also affected Mexican and U.S. drug control efforts; (7) Mexico
lacks some important legislative tools for curbing drug-related
activities; (8) drug interdiction funding declined from $1 billion in
fiscal year (FY) 1992 to about $570 million in FY 1995; and (9) although
staffing cutbacks have limited U.S. ability to monitor counternarcotics
assistance to Mexico, the United States and Mexico have created a
framework for increased cooperation and are developing a new binational
drug control strategy.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-NSIAD-96-182
     TITLE:  Drug Control: Observations on Counternarcotics Efforts in 
             Mexico
      DATE:  06/12/96
   SUBJECT:  Narcotics
             Law enforcement
             Foreign governments
             Interagency relations
             International cooperation
             Foreign policies
             Drug trafficking
             Political corruption
             Search and seizure
IDENTIFIER:  Mexico
             Colombia
             F-15 Aircraft
             UH-1H Helicopter
             National Drug Control Strategy
             F-5 Aircraft