United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2002-03-29 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:GAO-02-416 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-416 P0b002ee180396ead f:d02416 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-416 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-416 GAO-02-416 Drug trafficking Drugs Law enforcement Data integrity DEA Domestic Monitor Program DEA Heroin Signature Program Treasury Enforcement Communications System Other Written Product A02794 Drug Control: DEA Could Improve Its Heroin Signature and Domestic Monitor Programs' Geographic Source Data (29-MAR-02, GAO-02-416). The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) runs two programs--the Heroin Signature Program and the Domestic Monitor Program--that provide information on trends in heroin trafficking. The only programs of their kind in this country, these two program conduct chemical analyses to pinpoint the geographic origin of heroin being sold on the streets. The Domestic Monitor Program determines (1) the source of heroin that has been bought undercover in 23 U.S. cities and (2) the purity and price of heroin at the retail level. The Heroin Signature Program provides law enforcement with information on the origins of heroin at the wholesale and retail level in some U.S. cities. Data from the two programs are included in intelligence and investigative reports provided to DEA and other federal law enforcement agencies, which use this information to adjust their drug enforcement efforts. The quantity of heroin seized by the Customs Service at ports-of-entry but not sent to DEA for testing may make a difference in the results reported by DEA. All seizures at ports-of-entry forwarded to DEA are tested for geographic source, according to DEA officials. However, Customs is not required to send all heroin seizures to DEA. GAO found that the usefulness of the data from and Heroin Signature Program and the Domestic Monitor Program is limited because they are based on nonrepresentative samples of their respective populations. GAO believes that DEA could produce stronger estimates if it modified its methodology. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-416/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-416.htm GAO-02-416 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-416 Other Written Product GAO-02-416; Drug Control: DEA Could Improve Its Heroin Signature and Domestic Monitor Programs' Geographic Source Data; Drug trafficking Drugs Law enforcement Data integrity DEA Domestic Monitor Program DEA Heroin Signature Program Treasury Enforcement Communications System