Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a federal agency in the United States tasked with enforcing laws and regulations related to controlled substances. Established in 1973, the DEA's primary mission involves investigating and prosecuting organizations involved in the illegal production and distribution of drugs, particularly those linked to violent trafficking networks. In addition to its enforcement role, the agency actively promotes drug awareness and prevention programs aimed at reducing demand for illicit drugs both domestically and internationally.
The DEA has its roots in early 20th-century legislation, evolving from a division of the Bureau of Internal Revenue into a specialized agency with a focus on narcotics control. With a budget exceeding $3 million and nearly 9,500 employees, the DEA operates numerous field offices across the U.S. and abroad. The agency also plays a critical role in intelligence gathering related to drug trafficking and serves as a liaison to international organizations such as the United Nations and Interpol.
In recent years, the DEA has made significant seizures, including millions of fentanyl-laced pills, highlighting the ongoing challenges posed by drug-related threats. Through a combination of law enforcement and preventive measures, the DEA aims to disrupt drug trafficking operations and contribute to public health efforts against drug abuse.
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Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
IDENTIFICATION: Federal agency responsible for enforcing federal laws and regulations concerning controlled substances
SIGNIFICANCE: In carrying out its mission, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) brings to justice organizations involved in producing or distributing controlled substances destined for illicit traffic in the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proactively investigates and prosecutes major growers, manufacturers, and distributors of controlled substances. It also conducts drug awareness and abuse prevention programs targeted toward demand reduction in the domestic and international illicit drug markets.
The DEA, compared to other federal criminal justice agencies, has a brief history. Its origins are traceable to the Harrison Narcotic Drug Act of 1914; it was originally classified as a “miscellaneous division” of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in 1915. In its first year, the agency seized 44 pounds of heroin and produced 106 convictions. Major expansion and reorganization over the following decades resulted from the Narcotics Drugs Import and Export Act of 1922, legislation establishing the Federal Narcotics Control Board; the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, which levied a fine of $100 per ounce on untaxed marijuana; and the Boggs Act of 1956, which made heroin illegal.
The Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD) was created in 1968 through a congressionally approved merger of the older Bureau of Narcotics and the Bureau of Drug Abuse Control. Congress then passed the Controlled Substances Act, known as Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, legislation that established consolidated oversight of both narcotics and psychotropic drugs. Rapid growth in the BNDD’s domestic and foreign operations and the rise of recreational drug use in the popular culture prompted the creation of the Drug Enforcement Administration in 1973.
The DEA engages casework and prepares for the prosecution of major violators of controlled substance laws. Its operations focus on disrupting and dissolving violent drug trafficking organizations. The agency also is responsible for maintaining a national drug intelligence program that collects, analyzes, and disseminates drug intelligence information. Additionally, the DEA serves as the U.S. liaison to the United Nations and Interpol and is responsible for the seizure and forfeiture of assets that are associated with criminal drug enterprises.
According to the DEA, in 2023 it had an annual budget of more than $3 million and 9,485 employees (including special agents, diversion investigators, intelligence analysts, chemists, and professional staff) and operated 241 domestic field offices throughout the United States plus 93 foreign field offices. In addition to other drugs, in 2023, the DEA seized 80 million fentanyl-laced pills and 12,000 pounds of fentanyl power. Combined, this is the equivalent of 381 million lethal doses of fentanyl.
During its brief history, the DEA has established a significant worldwide presence. The agency’s primary mission of drug law enforcement involves coordination and cooperation with federal, state, and regional authorities on mutual drug law-enforcement efforts as well as nonenforcement methods such as crop eradication or substitution, drug resistance education, and awareness efforts.
Bibliography
"About." United States Drug Enforcement Agency, 2024, www.dea.gov/who-we-are/about. Accessed 26 June 2024.
Belenko, Steven R., and Cassia C. Spohn. Drugs, Crime, and Justice. Thousand Oaks: SAGE, 2014. Print.
"DEA Releases 2024 National Drug Threat Assessment." United States Drug Enforcement Administration, 9 May 2024, www.dea.gov/press-releases/2024/05/09/dea-releases-2024-national-drug-threat-assessment. Accessed 26 June 2024.
Drug Enforcement Administration. Tradition of Excellence: The History of the DEA from 1973-1998. Washington: US Dept. of Justice, 1999. Print.
Machette, R. B. Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Washington: Natl. Archive and Records Administration, 1995. Print.