Alfredo Gonzalez

WRT-101-010
February 15, 2016
Professor Martinez
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

The use of narcotics in the U.S. and around the world has drastically increased over the
past few decades. What people dont know is the severity of the violence and corruption that
comes with the importation and exportation of narcotics. The distribution of drugs has become
more and more violent as drug lords explore new methods of obtaining money and power, no
matter the cost. The two videos I analyzing show the true nature of what is going on in the U.S.
and in the Middle East in terms of narcotics; they go into depth about the very real problem
evolving from such narcotics.
The first video I chose to analyze is called DEA FAST Team in
Afghanistan. I chose this video first because it represents just how dangerous
narcotic distribution has become. The group operating in the video is known
as the DEA FAST team, and they are also known as the DEA special task
force. The group in the video has been in Afghanistan for a little over 9 years,
stopping the distribution of narcotics and arresting drug traffickers. The FAST
team has traveled to Afghanistan from the U.S.to cease the production of
heroin. This is of importance because it is estimated that 90% of the worlds
heroin is produced there.
The video starts off in a loud military helicopter, flying fast over a small
valley in Afghanistan. The sun has started to rise as it is only four fifteen in

Alfredo Gonzalez
WRT-101-010
February 15, 2016
Professor Martinez
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
the morning, in the southern Kandahar province. The helicopter touches
down and nine operators with around twenty afghan police dismount. They
vacate the landing area and walk through the dusty field to a secure area

for briefing. The teams captain, Frank Tarantino, tells everyone to take a
knee while he tells the interpreter to get on the megaphone. At this point
tensions are high and you can tell they are ready for combat. Frank tells the
interpreter to speak his words over the loud speaker; This is a police action,
put your weapons down. Their interpreter than proceeds to translate onto
the loud speaker while walking down what looks like to be the road.
Weapons drawn, the group move up to the designated building, and prepare
for a breach. They clear out several civilians in a nearby market area, case a
fire fight broke out. Their objective is to breach a compound where a
suspected corrupt police commander is located.
As they approach the compound gates Frank orders everyone to Tuck
up against the wall; meaning stack up and prepare for breach. They break
the gates open and move into the compound, which is now empty, They all
move into the compound, weapons drawn they clear each of the rooms. The
compound has no hostiles, only the women and children left behind by the
mercenaries/drug traffickers. The sound crying of the women and children is
apparent as the FAST team clear each room looking for weapons and
narcotics. Once again their captain Frank tells the interpreter to translate for
him and tells them to Relax, everything is going to be ok.
Although the compound was empty, they found good amount of
narcotics and weapons. One interesting find was an RPG a rocket propelled
grenade. Keeping in mind this was a private compound utilized by police,

that is not a good sign. The weapons ceased are too unstable to bring aboard
a military helicopter, so instead they destroy them on location. One loud
explosion goes off as they detonate some of the RPGs and other weapons.
More raids continue, and they continue to find more weapons and more
narcotics.
I chose this video because I felt like It represented the larger scale
narcotic problem we have. Its not just about chasing drug dealers on the
streets, its about stopping this massive and extremely dangerous
corporation that is distributing narcotics around the globe.
The second video I chose to analyze is called Undercover Heroin
Bust. I chose to analyze