United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office National Security and International Affairs Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1998-03-12 monographic deposited born digital 22 p. GA 1.13:T-NSIAD-98-116 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-98-116 P0b002ee18039cc63 f:ns98116t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-98-116 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-98-116 T-NSIAD-98-116 Narcotics Drug trafficking Political corruption Law enforcement International relations Foreign policies Strategic planning Budget cuts Foreign governments International cooperation National Drug Control Strategy Caribbean Mexico Colombia Peru Testimony NSIAD

GAO discussed its observations on the effectiveness of U.S. efforts to combat drug production and the movement of drugs into the United States, focusing on: (1) the challenges of addressing international counternarcotics issues; (2) obstacles to implementation of U.S. drug control efforts; and (3) areas requiring attention to improve the operational effectiveness of U.S. drug control efforts.<p/>GAO noted that: (1) despite long-standing efforts and expenditures of billions of dollars, illegal drugs still flood the United States; (2) although U.S. counternarcotics efforts have resulted in the arrest of major drug traffickers, the seizure of large amounts of drugs, and the eradication of illicit drug crops, they have not materially reduced the availability of drugs in the United States; (3) the United States and drug-producing and -transiting nations face a number of obstacles in attempting to reduce the production of and trafficking in illegal drugs; (4) international drug-trafficking organizations are sophisticated, multibillion-dollar industries that quickly adapt to new U.S. drug control efforts; (5) as success is achieved in one area, the drug-trafficking organizations change tactics, thwarting U.S. efforts; (6) there are also other obstacles that impede U.S. and drug producing and -transiting countries' drug control efforts; (7) in the drug-producing and -transiting countries, counternarcotics efforts are constrained by corruption, competing economic and political policies, inadequate laws, limited resources and institutional capabilities, and internal problems such as terrorism and civil unrest; (8) morever, drug traffickers are increasingly resourceful in corrupting the countries' institutions; (9) for its part, the United States has not been able to maintain a well-organized and consistently funded international counternarcotics program; (10) U.S. efforts have also been hampered by competing U.S. foreign policy objectives, organizational and operational limitations, and the lack of clear goals and objectives; (11) since GAO's February 1997 report, some countries, with U.S. assistance, have taken steps to improve their capacity to reduce the flow of illegal drugs into the United States; (12) these countries have taken action to extradite drug criminals; enacted legislation to control organized crime, money laundering, and chemicals used in the production of illicit drugs; and instituted reforms to reduce corruption; and (13) while these actions represent positive steps, it is too early to determine their impact, and challenges remain. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-98-116/html/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-98-116.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-98-116/pdf/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-98-116.pdf GAO/T-NSIAD-98-116 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-98-116 Testimony GAO/T-NSIAD-98-116; Drug Control: Status of U.S. International Counternarcotics Activities; Narcotics Drug trafficking Political corruption Law enforcement International relations Foreign policies Strategic planning Budget cuts Foreign governments International cooperation National Drug Control Strategy Caribbean Mexico Colombia Peru Title 22 Section 2291j 22 U.S.C. 2291j Public Law 103-62