Drug Control
DEA Could Improve Its Heroin Signature and Domestic Monitor Programs' Geographic Source Data Gao ID: GAO-02-416 March 29, 2002The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) runs two programs--the Heroin Signature Program and the Domestic Monitor Program--that provide information on trends in heroin trafficking. The only programs of their kind in this country, these two program conduct chemical analyses to pinpoint the geographic origin of heroin being sold on the streets. The Domestic Monitor Program determines (1) the source of heroin that has been bought undercover in 23 U.S. cities and (2) the purity and price of heroin at the retail level. The Heroin Signature Program provides law enforcement with information on the origins of heroin at the wholesale and retail level in some U.S. cities. Data from the two programs are included in intelligence and investigative reports provided to DEA and other federal law enforcement agencies, which use this information to adjust their drug enforcement efforts. The quantity of heroin seized by the Customs Service at ports-of-entry but not sent to DEA for testing may make a difference in the results reported by DEA. All seizures at ports-of-entry forwarded to DEA are tested for geographic source, according to DEA officials. However, Customs is not required to send all heroin seizures to DEA. GAO found that the usefulness of the data from and Heroin Signature Program and the Domestic Monitor Program is limited because they are based on nonrepresentative samples of their respective populations. GAO believes that DEA could produce stronger estimates if it modified its methodology.
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