DOD Counter-Drug Activities

GAO discussed the Department of Defense's (DOD) implementation of 1988 legislation which increased its anti-drug activities by establishing DOD as the lead agency for: (1) detecting and monitoring the entry of illegal drugs into the United States; (2) integrating U.S. command, control, communications, and technical intelligence assets into an effective interdiction communications network; and (3) enhancing the expanded use of National Guard units in supporting drug enforcement activities. GAO noted that DOD: (1) planned to allocate $40 million of its $300-million appropriation to National Guard drug interdiction activities, $60 million to communications systems integration, and $200 million to detection and monitoring activities; (2) lacked a consolidated report on how much of the $300 million it had disbursed; (3) established regional joint task forces to provide command and control over detection and monitoring activities; (4) was developing a common communications requirement for all drug law enforcement agencies for detection and monitoring purposes; and (5) approved all 54 states' and territories' operational plans for using the National Guard in drug interdiction and narcotics eradication programs. GAO believes that, although it was too early to determine the effectiveness of the anti-drug activities DOD planned, more than one strategy will be necessary to successfully deter the entry of drugs into the United States.