Drug Control: Increased Interdiction and Its Contribution to the War on Drugs

GAO discussed the effectiveness of drug interdiction and its impact on the supply of cocaine entering the United States. GAO noted that: (1) interdiction efforts have not reduced the flow of cocaine into the United States; (2) the Department of Defense (DOD) is generally restricted to drug smuggling detection and monitoring efforts, and lacks authority over arrests and seizures; (3) although DOD interdiction resources have increased, from $212 million in 1989 to over $900 million in 1993, cocaine remains readily available and affordable; (4) continued lucrative drug profits make interdiction losses relatively inconsequential; (5) the government's interdiction efforts are unable to counter successful or new smuggling methods; (6) continued interdiction is important to the national resolve against drugs and should be linked with other efforts in the National Drug Control Strategy and the level of interdiction funding linked to its relative contribution to the national war on drugs; and (7) additional investments in air and maritime surveillance will not substantially improve the ability to interdict drugs.