Drug Control in South America Having Limited Success: Some Progress but Problems Are Formidable

Nearly all of the cocaine and most of the marihuana entering the United States come from South America. Peru and Bolivia are the major producers of coca, from which cocaine is made, and Colombia is the primary processing and transmitting country for cocaine. Colombia has also surpassed Mexico in marihuana production. Disrupting and intercepting the flow of drugs into this country is a major U.S. law enforcement objective and an important part of the worldwide U.S. drug control program. In South America, this effort is multifaceted and involves several agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of State, the Agency for International Development, and the Central Intelligence Agency.