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Drug Control: Observations on U.S. Interdiction in the Caribbean

T-NSIAD-96-171 Published: May 23, 1996. Publicly Released: May 23, 1996.
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Highlights

GAO discussed U.S. interdiction efforts in the Caribbean, focusing on: (1) the nature of drug trafficking activities in the Caribbean; (2) impediments to an effective regional strategy; (3) U.S. capabilities to interdict such activities; and (4) planning, coordination, and implementation of U.S. interdiction efforts. GAO noted that: (1) drug traffickers use advanced technologies to identify and monitor U.S. counternarcotic operations; (2) a major part of the U.S. counternarcotic strategy involves strengthening host nations' capabilities to support U.S. counternarcotic efforts; (3) a number of host nations lack the capability to conduct effective antidrug operations and combat corruption; (4) funding for drug interdiction declined from $1 billion in fiscal year (FY) 1992 to $569 million in FY 1995 and resulted in fewer ship days, flight hours, and ground-based radars devoted to drug interdiction; (5) the amount of cocaine seized declined by 47 percent between FY 1992 and FY 1995; and (6) the executive branch has not developed a regional plan to implement the U.S. antidrug strategy, staffed interagency organizations with key roles in the interdiction program, or resolved issues related to intelligence sharing.

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Topics

Budget cutsDrug traffickingFederal aid to foreign countriesForeign governmentsForeign policiesInteragency relationsInternational cooperationLaw enforcementNarcoticsPolitical corruption