Maritime Counter Drug

Operations
Drug Trafficking Characteristics
• Drug Trade is Deadly and Immense
– Retail Value Exceeds US$300 Billion Per Year
• Negative Impacts of Illicit Drug Trade Touch
Every Society in the World
– Estimated 200 million people (almost 5% of global
population) age 15-64 use illicit drugs in a one
year period
Drug Trafficking Characteristics
• Crosses National Borders
• Utilizes Means and Methods of Legitimate Global
Commerce
• Threatens Government Stability
• Undermines Economies, Political Structures and
Human Rights
• Drug Trafficking Organizations Characterized by
Fluidity and Flexibility
Drug Trafficking Characteristics
• Drug Trafficking Organizations Operate Where
there are Opportunities to Exploit
– Participate in Illicit Global Markets
– Collaborate with Other International Criminal Groups
and Terrorist Organizations
Drugs and Africa
• Africa (particularly West Africa) Plays Significant
Role in International Transport of Drugs
– Majority of Illegal Drugs Passing through West Africa
are Not Produced in Region
– Prime Markets for Drugs are not in Africa
• Africa is a Major Point for Transit Area for
Cocaine Trafficking between Latin America and
Europe
– Up to 2/3 of Cocaine Entering Europe Enters through
Western Africa
International Solutions
• Bilateral, Regional and Global Accords
• Coordinated Investigations
• Interdictions
• Anti-money Laundering Initiatives
• Drug Crop Eradication and Substitution
• Strengthening Public Institutions
• International Drug Enforcement Conference
International Conventions
• Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961)
• Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971)
• Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982)
• Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic
Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988)
• Convention Against Transnational Organized
Crime (2000)
Implementation of Conventions
• Generally Require Establishing Domestic Laws
and Regulations that Criminalize:
– Narcotics Trafficking
– Organized Crime
– Money Laundering
– Other Offenses
• Implementing Laws and Regulations Subject to
Constitutional Principles
Convention on the Law of the
Sea (1982)
• Requires All States to Cooperate in the
Suppression of Illicit Narcotics Traffic by Ships
on the High Seas
• Any State with Reasonable Grounds for Believing
a Ship Flying its Flag is Engaged in Illicit Drug
Trafficking May Request the Cooperation of Other
States to Suppress Such Traffic
Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic
Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (1988)
• 184 State Parties as of June 2009
• Provides Additional Legal Mechanisms for Enforcing
1961 and 1971 Conventions
• Provides Comprehensive Measures against Drug
trafficking, including:
– Provisions against Money Laundering
– Diversion of Precursor Chemicals
– Seizure of Proceeds
– Legal Basis for Extradition
• Provides for International Cooperation to Combat Drug
Trafficking
Convention Against Transnational
Organized Crime (2000)
• Contains Rules for:
– Extradition
– Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters
– Transferring of Sentenced Persons
– Transferring Criminal Proceedings
– Maintaining Information about Criminals & Activities
• Encourages Technical Assistance
– Exchange & Dissemination of Information
– Scientific & Technological Information
– Training
• Means & Methods Used by Criminals
• Techniques for Prevention & Detection
Bilateral Agreements: Common
Provisions
• Operations in Territorial Sea/National Airspace
• Operations in International Waters
• Overflight of National Airspace
• Information Sharing
• Law Enforcement Assistance
• Liaison Offices
• Disposition of Seized Property
Major Drug Trafficking Organizations
(DTO’s)
• Mexican DTOs control a greater portion of the
US drug production, transportation, and
distribution system than any other criminal
group or DTO
US National Drug Intelligence Center, National Drug Threat Assessment 2009

• Asian DTOs control a large portion of

distribution of high-potency marijuana and
MDMA
Interagency Cooperation
• Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
– Defines U.S. National Counter-Narcotics Strategy
– Establishes Counter-Narcotics Budget Priorities
• U.S. Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA’s)
– Arrest & Prosecute Criminals
– Dismantle Drug Organizations
• U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
– Support U.S. LEA’s & Foreign Country Teams
– NO LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY
Interagency Task Force Concept
• Cooperative Effort
– Defense
– Law Enforcement
– Intelligence
• Members are Participants with Equal Clearances
and Access to Greatest Extent Possible
• Memoranda of Understanding between
Participating Agencies to Resolve Issues such as
Command & Control & Funding
Preventing Maritime Drug Smuggling
• Maritime Smuggling Operations Tend to Cross National
Borders
– 90% of Cocaine that Comes into U.S. Travels through Mexico &
Central America
• 90% of that Amount Travels via Maritime Means
• Open Borders
• Vast Oceans
• Corruption
• Sorting: Legitimate Commerce Versus Drug Trafficking
• National & International Cooperation
Questions