Thursday, January 8, 2009

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The DEA But Were Afraid To Ask

If you happen to be wondering how many hits of hallucinogens or pounds of marijuana the DEA seized in 2007 (5,636,305 units of hallucinogens and 356,472 kilograms of marijuana) look no further than their own website. How many arrests in 2007? 27,870. How much net $ deposited from forfeitures as official accounting transactions in 2008? $1,327,604,903(!) The website is packed with other information as well including press releases, studies, and, most entertaining, operations. The operation include names like "Operation Raw Deal", "Operation Imperial Emperor Phase II", and (an apt title) "Operation Omnipresent". The operations are detailed which, when reviewed together, reveals trends valuable to investigations and operations by the DEA. 

Under law enforcement section, there are links to several publications with intriguing titles like "Guidelines for Law Enforcement for Cleanup of Clandestine Drug Laboratories" and "Microgram-Forensic Science Publication", which publishes a newsletter. There is a section on training that gives an overview of the training agents receive. 
Finally, there is a little curious bit of propaganda..."Anti-Legalization Information" with interesting quotes like "Crime, violence, and drug use go hand-in-hand." Co-mingling of executive and legislative branch perhaps? It's all worth a perusal in understanding the DEA and its work.

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