Post on 05-Apr-2023
Global Drug Enforcement
Practical Investigative Techniques
CRC SERIES INPRACTICAL ASPECTS OF CRIMINAL AND
FORENSIC INVESTIGATIONSVERNON JGEBERTH BBA MPS FBINA Series Editor
Practical Homicide Investigation Tactics Procedures and ForensicTechniques Third EditionVernon JGeberth
The Counterterrorism Handbook Tactics Procedures and TechniquesSecond EditionFrank Bolz Jr Kenneth JDudonis and David PSchulz
Forensic Pathology Second EditionDominick JDi Maio and Vincent JMDi Maio
Interpretation of Bloodstain Evidence at Crime Scenes Second EditionWilliam GEckert and Stuart HJames
Tire Imprint EvidencePeter McDonald
Practical Drug Enforcement Second EditionMichael DLyman
Practical Aspects of Rape Investigation A Multidisciplinary ApproachThird EditionRobert RHazelwood and Ann Wolbert Burgess
The Sexual Exploitation of Children A Practical Guide to AssessmentInvestigation and Intervention Second EditionSeth LGoldstein
Gunshot Wounds Practical Aspects of Firearms Ballistics and ForensicTechniques Second EditionVincent JMDi Maio
Friction Ridge Skin Comparison and Identification of FingerprintsJames FCowger
Footwear Impression Evidence Second EditionWilliam JBodziak
Principles of Kinesic Interview and InterrogationStan Walters
Practical Fire and Arson Investigation Second EditionDavid RRedsicker and John JOrsquoConnor
The Practical Methodology of Forensic Photography Second EditionDavid RRedsicker
Practical Aspects of Interview and Interrogation Second EditionDavid EZulawski and Douglas EWicklander
Investigating Computer CrimeFranklin Clark and Ken Diliberto
Practical Homicide Investigation Checklist and Field GuideVernon JGeberth
Bloodstain Pattern Analysis With an Introduction to Crime SceneReconstruction Second EditionTom Bevel and Ross MGardner
Practical Aspects of Munchausen by Proxy and Munchausen SyndromeInvestigationKathryn Artingstall
Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis An Introduction to Basicand Advanced RidgeologyDavid RAshbaugh
Practical Criminal Investigations in Correctional FacilitiesWilliam RBell
Officer-Involved Shootings and Use of Force Practical InvestigativeTechniquesDavid EHatch
Sex-Related Homicide and Death Investigation Practical and ClinicalPerspectivesVernon JGeberth
iii
Global Drug Enforcement
Practical Investigative Techniques
Gregory DLee
CRC PRESS
Boca Raton London New York Washington DC
This edition published in the Taylor amp Francis e-Library 2005
ldquoTo purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor amp Francis or Routledgersquos collection ofthousands of eBooks please go to wwweBookstoretandfcoukrdquo
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataLee Gregory D 1953
Global drug enforcement practical investigative techniquesby Gregory DLeep cmmdash(CRC series in practical aspects of criminal and forensic investigations)
Includes bibliographical references and indexISBN 0-8493-1629-4
1 Drug trafficmdashInvestigation 2 Criminal investigation 3 Narcotics Control of 4Narcotics Control ofmdashInternational cooperation I Title II Series
HV8079N3L437 200336325prime977mdashdc22 2003058470
This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources Reprintedmaterial
is quoted with permission and sources are indicated A wide variety of references are listedReasonable
efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information but the author and the publishercannot
assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or for the consequences of their use
Neither this book nor any part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic
or mechanical including photocopying microfilming and recording or by any information storageor
retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher
The consent of CRC Press LLC does not extend to copying for general distribution for promotionfor
creating new works or for resale Specific permission must be obtained in writing from CRC PressLLC
for such copying
Direct all inquiries to CRC Press LLC 2000 NW Corporate Blvd Boca Raton Florida 33431
Trademark Notice Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks andare
used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe
Visit the CRC Press Web site at wwwcrcpresscom
copy 2004 by CRC Press LLC
No claim to original US Government works
ISBN 0-203-48898-9 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-58736-7 (Adobe eReader Format)International Standard Book Number 0-8493-1629-4 (Print Edition)
Library of Congress Card Number 2003058470
Dedication
This work is dedicated first of all to my wife Virginiafor her love devotion and encouragement throughout
this endeavor It is also dedicated to the brave menand women of the Drug Enforcement Administration
around the world who sacrifice so muchfor their country and fellow man
Editorrsquos Note
This textbook is part of the ldquoPractical Aspects of Criminal and ForensicInvestigationsrdquo series This series was created by Vernon JGeberth New YorkCity Police Department Lieutenant Commander (Retired) who is an authoreducator and consultant on homicide and forensic investigation This series hasbeen designed to provide contemporary comprehensive and pragmaticinformation to the practitioner involved in criminal and forensic investigation byauthors who are nationally recognized experts in their respective fields
Preface
Unlike other criminal investigation books that only devote a chapter or two to thetopic Global Drug Enforcement Practical Investigative Techniques is devotedentirely to this specialized field of proactive criminal investigation This bookreplicates and greatly expands on many of the topics both new and in-serviceemployees of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) receive in theirtraining
This book serves the needs of criminal justice majors federal agents policeofficers detectives newly assigned to a drug unit police training institutions andmembers of the legal profession who want to expand their knowledge in the fieldIt serves equally well as a reference for many foreign police officials who arecharged with enforcing their countryrsquos drug laws
There are two major parts The first deals in the fundamentals of druginvestigation and includes comprehensive chapters on drug identificationundercover operations and the handling of confidential informants The secondpart is devoted to complex drug cases with chapters on conspiracyinvestigations clandestine laboratories intelligence and money laundering
There is also a glossary of common terms used in drug enforcement as well astwo chapters devoted to the similarities in conducting drug and terrorisminvestigations and the nexus between drugs and terrorism Drug agents knowthat winning the war on drugs contributes significantly to winning the war onterrorism since drug profits fund many terrorism events Throughout the work Iuse the term drug agent which is synonymous with investigator detectiveofficer or any other title used by law enforcement personnel who perform druginvestigations
During my 30-year career in law enforcement I have taught drug enforcementand terrorism topics both to new and in-service federal agents state and localpolice officers foreign police officials and members of the US intelligencecommunity While a special agent with the DEArsquos Office of Training at the FBIAcademy in Quantico VA I traveled to Europe Asia Central and SouthAmerica and the Middle East as a member of an international training team Idiscovered each region I visited had a common thirst for more detailedknowledge on the subject that could not be found in print medium This textbookwas written in part to help provide domestic and international law enforcement
officers with a one-stop reference source on contemporary drug enforcementThe investigative techniques revealed in this textbook should work well in mostnations regardless of their judicial system
ix
Author
Gregory DLee recently retired as a Supervisory Special Agent for the USDepartment of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Throughouthis diverse government career he has conducted and supervised numerousinternational drug investigations and at one time was the resident agent-in-charge of the DEArsquos Karachi Pakistan office While in Pakistan from 1994 to1998 MrLee became involved in several notable terrorism investigations andparticipated in the arrest of Ramzi Ahmed Yousef the mastermind behind the1993 World Trade Center bombings and later testified at his trial As a result ofhis experiences in Pakistan he has lectured for and consulted with variousagencies within the US intelligence community He taught conspiracyinvestigations drug smuggling informant management and many other coursesas a course developerinstructor at the DEArsquos Office of Training located at theFBI Academy in Quantico Virginia He spent a year as a member of one of DEArsquosinternational training teams visiting many foreign countries providing drugenforcement training to foreign law enforcement officials He is the author ofseveral articles on drug enforcement topics for professional publications
including the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin and The Police Chief Lee alsoserved as a counselor for the 160th session of the FBI National Academy in 1990Prior to working for the DEA he was a police officer for the cities of Salinas andPasadena California He has a combination of over 30 years of active duty andUS Army Reserve service and is a Chief Warrant Officer 5Special Agent withthe US Army Criminal Investigation Command better known as CID As anarmy reservist Mr Lee is an associate instructor with the US Army MilitaryPolice School as a subject matter expert in terrorism and counter-drug operationsLee holds a master of public administration in justice administration degree fromGolden Gate University San Francisco and a bachelor of science in sociologywith a minor in vocational education from the University of Maryland Whileattending graduate school he taught a criminal investigation course for MontereyPeninsula College Monterey California
xi
Acknowledgments
I readily acknowledge that much of the information in this text stems from mytraining and experiences as a supervisory special agent with the worldrsquos premierdrug law enforcement agency the Drug Enforcement Administration Thanks arealso in order to the Military Police Corps and the US Army CriminalInvestigation Command (CID) I investigated my first drug case in 1973 as anactive duty military police investigator As an army reservist I am proud to havebeen associated with this outstanding organization for over 30 years and amgrateful for the opportunity to be an associate instructor for the US ArmyMilitary Police School
Contents
Section I THE FUNDAMENTALS 1
1 Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement 2
International in Scope 2
Interpersonal Relationships 2
Finance and Banking 3
Psychology 3
Communication Skills 3
Foreign Relations 3
Other Aspects 4
Summary 4
2 Source Countries 5
Colombia 5
Bolivia and Peru 7
Mexico 7
The Golden Triangle 11
The Golden Crescent 11
Western Europe 13
Canada 13
United States 13
Summary 13
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition 15
Drug Scheduling 15
Narcotic Depressants 16
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Global Drug Enforcement
Practical Investigative Techniques
CRC SERIES INPRACTICAL ASPECTS OF CRIMINAL AND
FORENSIC INVESTIGATIONSVERNON JGEBERTH BBA MPS FBINA Series Editor
Practical Homicide Investigation Tactics Procedures and ForensicTechniques Third EditionVernon JGeberth
The Counterterrorism Handbook Tactics Procedures and TechniquesSecond EditionFrank Bolz Jr Kenneth JDudonis and David PSchulz
Forensic Pathology Second EditionDominick JDi Maio and Vincent JMDi Maio
Interpretation of Bloodstain Evidence at Crime Scenes Second EditionWilliam GEckert and Stuart HJames
Tire Imprint EvidencePeter McDonald
Practical Drug Enforcement Second EditionMichael DLyman
Practical Aspects of Rape Investigation A Multidisciplinary ApproachThird EditionRobert RHazelwood and Ann Wolbert Burgess
The Sexual Exploitation of Children A Practical Guide to AssessmentInvestigation and Intervention Second EditionSeth LGoldstein
Gunshot Wounds Practical Aspects of Firearms Ballistics and ForensicTechniques Second EditionVincent JMDi Maio
Friction Ridge Skin Comparison and Identification of FingerprintsJames FCowger
Footwear Impression Evidence Second EditionWilliam JBodziak
Principles of Kinesic Interview and InterrogationStan Walters
Practical Fire and Arson Investigation Second EditionDavid RRedsicker and John JOrsquoConnor
The Practical Methodology of Forensic Photography Second EditionDavid RRedsicker
Practical Aspects of Interview and Interrogation Second EditionDavid EZulawski and Douglas EWicklander
Investigating Computer CrimeFranklin Clark and Ken Diliberto
Practical Homicide Investigation Checklist and Field GuideVernon JGeberth
Bloodstain Pattern Analysis With an Introduction to Crime SceneReconstruction Second EditionTom Bevel and Ross MGardner
Practical Aspects of Munchausen by Proxy and Munchausen SyndromeInvestigationKathryn Artingstall
Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis An Introduction to Basicand Advanced RidgeologyDavid RAshbaugh
Practical Criminal Investigations in Correctional FacilitiesWilliam RBell
Officer-Involved Shootings and Use of Force Practical InvestigativeTechniquesDavid EHatch
Sex-Related Homicide and Death Investigation Practical and ClinicalPerspectivesVernon JGeberth
iii
Global Drug Enforcement
Practical Investigative Techniques
Gregory DLee
CRC PRESS
Boca Raton London New York Washington DC
This edition published in the Taylor amp Francis e-Library 2005
ldquoTo purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor amp Francis or Routledgersquos collection ofthousands of eBooks please go to wwweBookstoretandfcoukrdquo
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataLee Gregory D 1953
Global drug enforcement practical investigative techniquesby Gregory DLeep cmmdash(CRC series in practical aspects of criminal and forensic investigations)
Includes bibliographical references and indexISBN 0-8493-1629-4
1 Drug trafficmdashInvestigation 2 Criminal investigation 3 Narcotics Control of 4Narcotics Control ofmdashInternational cooperation I Title II Series
HV8079N3L437 200336325prime977mdashdc22 2003058470
This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources Reprintedmaterial
is quoted with permission and sources are indicated A wide variety of references are listedReasonable
efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information but the author and the publishercannot
assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or for the consequences of their use
Neither this book nor any part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic
or mechanical including photocopying microfilming and recording or by any information storageor
retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher
The consent of CRC Press LLC does not extend to copying for general distribution for promotionfor
creating new works or for resale Specific permission must be obtained in writing from CRC PressLLC
for such copying
Direct all inquiries to CRC Press LLC 2000 NW Corporate Blvd Boca Raton Florida 33431
Trademark Notice Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks andare
used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe
Visit the CRC Press Web site at wwwcrcpresscom
copy 2004 by CRC Press LLC
No claim to original US Government works
ISBN 0-203-48898-9 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-58736-7 (Adobe eReader Format)International Standard Book Number 0-8493-1629-4 (Print Edition)
Library of Congress Card Number 2003058470
Dedication
This work is dedicated first of all to my wife Virginiafor her love devotion and encouragement throughout
this endeavor It is also dedicated to the brave menand women of the Drug Enforcement Administration
around the world who sacrifice so muchfor their country and fellow man
Editorrsquos Note
This textbook is part of the ldquoPractical Aspects of Criminal and ForensicInvestigationsrdquo series This series was created by Vernon JGeberth New YorkCity Police Department Lieutenant Commander (Retired) who is an authoreducator and consultant on homicide and forensic investigation This series hasbeen designed to provide contemporary comprehensive and pragmaticinformation to the practitioner involved in criminal and forensic investigation byauthors who are nationally recognized experts in their respective fields
Preface
Unlike other criminal investigation books that only devote a chapter or two to thetopic Global Drug Enforcement Practical Investigative Techniques is devotedentirely to this specialized field of proactive criminal investigation This bookreplicates and greatly expands on many of the topics both new and in-serviceemployees of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) receive in theirtraining
This book serves the needs of criminal justice majors federal agents policeofficers detectives newly assigned to a drug unit police training institutions andmembers of the legal profession who want to expand their knowledge in the fieldIt serves equally well as a reference for many foreign police officials who arecharged with enforcing their countryrsquos drug laws
There are two major parts The first deals in the fundamentals of druginvestigation and includes comprehensive chapters on drug identificationundercover operations and the handling of confidential informants The secondpart is devoted to complex drug cases with chapters on conspiracyinvestigations clandestine laboratories intelligence and money laundering
There is also a glossary of common terms used in drug enforcement as well astwo chapters devoted to the similarities in conducting drug and terrorisminvestigations and the nexus between drugs and terrorism Drug agents knowthat winning the war on drugs contributes significantly to winning the war onterrorism since drug profits fund many terrorism events Throughout the work Iuse the term drug agent which is synonymous with investigator detectiveofficer or any other title used by law enforcement personnel who perform druginvestigations
During my 30-year career in law enforcement I have taught drug enforcementand terrorism topics both to new and in-service federal agents state and localpolice officers foreign police officials and members of the US intelligencecommunity While a special agent with the DEArsquos Office of Training at the FBIAcademy in Quantico VA I traveled to Europe Asia Central and SouthAmerica and the Middle East as a member of an international training team Idiscovered each region I visited had a common thirst for more detailedknowledge on the subject that could not be found in print medium This textbookwas written in part to help provide domestic and international law enforcement
officers with a one-stop reference source on contemporary drug enforcementThe investigative techniques revealed in this textbook should work well in mostnations regardless of their judicial system
ix
Author
Gregory DLee recently retired as a Supervisory Special Agent for the USDepartment of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Throughouthis diverse government career he has conducted and supervised numerousinternational drug investigations and at one time was the resident agent-in-charge of the DEArsquos Karachi Pakistan office While in Pakistan from 1994 to1998 MrLee became involved in several notable terrorism investigations andparticipated in the arrest of Ramzi Ahmed Yousef the mastermind behind the1993 World Trade Center bombings and later testified at his trial As a result ofhis experiences in Pakistan he has lectured for and consulted with variousagencies within the US intelligence community He taught conspiracyinvestigations drug smuggling informant management and many other coursesas a course developerinstructor at the DEArsquos Office of Training located at theFBI Academy in Quantico Virginia He spent a year as a member of one of DEArsquosinternational training teams visiting many foreign countries providing drugenforcement training to foreign law enforcement officials He is the author ofseveral articles on drug enforcement topics for professional publications
including the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin and The Police Chief Lee alsoserved as a counselor for the 160th session of the FBI National Academy in 1990Prior to working for the DEA he was a police officer for the cities of Salinas andPasadena California He has a combination of over 30 years of active duty andUS Army Reserve service and is a Chief Warrant Officer 5Special Agent withthe US Army Criminal Investigation Command better known as CID As anarmy reservist Mr Lee is an associate instructor with the US Army MilitaryPolice School as a subject matter expert in terrorism and counter-drug operationsLee holds a master of public administration in justice administration degree fromGolden Gate University San Francisco and a bachelor of science in sociologywith a minor in vocational education from the University of Maryland Whileattending graduate school he taught a criminal investigation course for MontereyPeninsula College Monterey California
xi
Acknowledgments
I readily acknowledge that much of the information in this text stems from mytraining and experiences as a supervisory special agent with the worldrsquos premierdrug law enforcement agency the Drug Enforcement Administration Thanks arealso in order to the Military Police Corps and the US Army CriminalInvestigation Command (CID) I investigated my first drug case in 1973 as anactive duty military police investigator As an army reservist I am proud to havebeen associated with this outstanding organization for over 30 years and amgrateful for the opportunity to be an associate instructor for the US ArmyMilitary Police School
Contents
Section I THE FUNDAMENTALS 1
1 Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement 2
International in Scope 2
Interpersonal Relationships 2
Finance and Banking 3
Psychology 3
Communication Skills 3
Foreign Relations 3
Other Aspects 4
Summary 4
2 Source Countries 5
Colombia 5
Bolivia and Peru 7
Mexico 7
The Golden Triangle 11
The Golden Crescent 11
Western Europe 13
Canada 13
United States 13
Summary 13
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition 15
Drug Scheduling 15
Narcotic Depressants 16
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
CRC SERIES INPRACTICAL ASPECTS OF CRIMINAL AND
FORENSIC INVESTIGATIONSVERNON JGEBERTH BBA MPS FBINA Series Editor
Practical Homicide Investigation Tactics Procedures and ForensicTechniques Third EditionVernon JGeberth
The Counterterrorism Handbook Tactics Procedures and TechniquesSecond EditionFrank Bolz Jr Kenneth JDudonis and David PSchulz
Forensic Pathology Second EditionDominick JDi Maio and Vincent JMDi Maio
Interpretation of Bloodstain Evidence at Crime Scenes Second EditionWilliam GEckert and Stuart HJames
Tire Imprint EvidencePeter McDonald
Practical Drug Enforcement Second EditionMichael DLyman
Practical Aspects of Rape Investigation A Multidisciplinary ApproachThird EditionRobert RHazelwood and Ann Wolbert Burgess
The Sexual Exploitation of Children A Practical Guide to AssessmentInvestigation and Intervention Second EditionSeth LGoldstein
Gunshot Wounds Practical Aspects of Firearms Ballistics and ForensicTechniques Second EditionVincent JMDi Maio
Friction Ridge Skin Comparison and Identification of FingerprintsJames FCowger
Footwear Impression Evidence Second EditionWilliam JBodziak
Principles of Kinesic Interview and InterrogationStan Walters
Practical Fire and Arson Investigation Second EditionDavid RRedsicker and John JOrsquoConnor
The Practical Methodology of Forensic Photography Second EditionDavid RRedsicker
Practical Aspects of Interview and Interrogation Second EditionDavid EZulawski and Douglas EWicklander
Investigating Computer CrimeFranklin Clark and Ken Diliberto
Practical Homicide Investigation Checklist and Field GuideVernon JGeberth
Bloodstain Pattern Analysis With an Introduction to Crime SceneReconstruction Second EditionTom Bevel and Ross MGardner
Practical Aspects of Munchausen by Proxy and Munchausen SyndromeInvestigationKathryn Artingstall
Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis An Introduction to Basicand Advanced RidgeologyDavid RAshbaugh
Practical Criminal Investigations in Correctional FacilitiesWilliam RBell
Officer-Involved Shootings and Use of Force Practical InvestigativeTechniquesDavid EHatch
Sex-Related Homicide and Death Investigation Practical and ClinicalPerspectivesVernon JGeberth
iii
Global Drug Enforcement
Practical Investigative Techniques
Gregory DLee
CRC PRESS
Boca Raton London New York Washington DC
This edition published in the Taylor amp Francis e-Library 2005
ldquoTo purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor amp Francis or Routledgersquos collection ofthousands of eBooks please go to wwweBookstoretandfcoukrdquo
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataLee Gregory D 1953
Global drug enforcement practical investigative techniquesby Gregory DLeep cmmdash(CRC series in practical aspects of criminal and forensic investigations)
Includes bibliographical references and indexISBN 0-8493-1629-4
1 Drug trafficmdashInvestigation 2 Criminal investigation 3 Narcotics Control of 4Narcotics Control ofmdashInternational cooperation I Title II Series
HV8079N3L437 200336325prime977mdashdc22 2003058470
This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources Reprintedmaterial
is quoted with permission and sources are indicated A wide variety of references are listedReasonable
efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information but the author and the publishercannot
assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or for the consequences of their use
Neither this book nor any part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic
or mechanical including photocopying microfilming and recording or by any information storageor
retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher
The consent of CRC Press LLC does not extend to copying for general distribution for promotionfor
creating new works or for resale Specific permission must be obtained in writing from CRC PressLLC
for such copying
Direct all inquiries to CRC Press LLC 2000 NW Corporate Blvd Boca Raton Florida 33431
Trademark Notice Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks andare
used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe
Visit the CRC Press Web site at wwwcrcpresscom
copy 2004 by CRC Press LLC
No claim to original US Government works
ISBN 0-203-48898-9 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-58736-7 (Adobe eReader Format)International Standard Book Number 0-8493-1629-4 (Print Edition)
Library of Congress Card Number 2003058470
Dedication
This work is dedicated first of all to my wife Virginiafor her love devotion and encouragement throughout
this endeavor It is also dedicated to the brave menand women of the Drug Enforcement Administration
around the world who sacrifice so muchfor their country and fellow man
Editorrsquos Note
This textbook is part of the ldquoPractical Aspects of Criminal and ForensicInvestigationsrdquo series This series was created by Vernon JGeberth New YorkCity Police Department Lieutenant Commander (Retired) who is an authoreducator and consultant on homicide and forensic investigation This series hasbeen designed to provide contemporary comprehensive and pragmaticinformation to the practitioner involved in criminal and forensic investigation byauthors who are nationally recognized experts in their respective fields
Preface
Unlike other criminal investigation books that only devote a chapter or two to thetopic Global Drug Enforcement Practical Investigative Techniques is devotedentirely to this specialized field of proactive criminal investigation This bookreplicates and greatly expands on many of the topics both new and in-serviceemployees of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) receive in theirtraining
This book serves the needs of criminal justice majors federal agents policeofficers detectives newly assigned to a drug unit police training institutions andmembers of the legal profession who want to expand their knowledge in the fieldIt serves equally well as a reference for many foreign police officials who arecharged with enforcing their countryrsquos drug laws
There are two major parts The first deals in the fundamentals of druginvestigation and includes comprehensive chapters on drug identificationundercover operations and the handling of confidential informants The secondpart is devoted to complex drug cases with chapters on conspiracyinvestigations clandestine laboratories intelligence and money laundering
There is also a glossary of common terms used in drug enforcement as well astwo chapters devoted to the similarities in conducting drug and terrorisminvestigations and the nexus between drugs and terrorism Drug agents knowthat winning the war on drugs contributes significantly to winning the war onterrorism since drug profits fund many terrorism events Throughout the work Iuse the term drug agent which is synonymous with investigator detectiveofficer or any other title used by law enforcement personnel who perform druginvestigations
During my 30-year career in law enforcement I have taught drug enforcementand terrorism topics both to new and in-service federal agents state and localpolice officers foreign police officials and members of the US intelligencecommunity While a special agent with the DEArsquos Office of Training at the FBIAcademy in Quantico VA I traveled to Europe Asia Central and SouthAmerica and the Middle East as a member of an international training team Idiscovered each region I visited had a common thirst for more detailedknowledge on the subject that could not be found in print medium This textbookwas written in part to help provide domestic and international law enforcement
officers with a one-stop reference source on contemporary drug enforcementThe investigative techniques revealed in this textbook should work well in mostnations regardless of their judicial system
ix
Author
Gregory DLee recently retired as a Supervisory Special Agent for the USDepartment of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Throughouthis diverse government career he has conducted and supervised numerousinternational drug investigations and at one time was the resident agent-in-charge of the DEArsquos Karachi Pakistan office While in Pakistan from 1994 to1998 MrLee became involved in several notable terrorism investigations andparticipated in the arrest of Ramzi Ahmed Yousef the mastermind behind the1993 World Trade Center bombings and later testified at his trial As a result ofhis experiences in Pakistan he has lectured for and consulted with variousagencies within the US intelligence community He taught conspiracyinvestigations drug smuggling informant management and many other coursesas a course developerinstructor at the DEArsquos Office of Training located at theFBI Academy in Quantico Virginia He spent a year as a member of one of DEArsquosinternational training teams visiting many foreign countries providing drugenforcement training to foreign law enforcement officials He is the author ofseveral articles on drug enforcement topics for professional publications
including the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin and The Police Chief Lee alsoserved as a counselor for the 160th session of the FBI National Academy in 1990Prior to working for the DEA he was a police officer for the cities of Salinas andPasadena California He has a combination of over 30 years of active duty andUS Army Reserve service and is a Chief Warrant Officer 5Special Agent withthe US Army Criminal Investigation Command better known as CID As anarmy reservist Mr Lee is an associate instructor with the US Army MilitaryPolice School as a subject matter expert in terrorism and counter-drug operationsLee holds a master of public administration in justice administration degree fromGolden Gate University San Francisco and a bachelor of science in sociologywith a minor in vocational education from the University of Maryland Whileattending graduate school he taught a criminal investigation course for MontereyPeninsula College Monterey California
xi
Acknowledgments
I readily acknowledge that much of the information in this text stems from mytraining and experiences as a supervisory special agent with the worldrsquos premierdrug law enforcement agency the Drug Enforcement Administration Thanks arealso in order to the Military Police Corps and the US Army CriminalInvestigation Command (CID) I investigated my first drug case in 1973 as anactive duty military police investigator As an army reservist I am proud to havebeen associated with this outstanding organization for over 30 years and amgrateful for the opportunity to be an associate instructor for the US ArmyMilitary Police School
Contents
Section I THE FUNDAMENTALS 1
1 Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement 2
International in Scope 2
Interpersonal Relationships 2
Finance and Banking 3
Psychology 3
Communication Skills 3
Foreign Relations 3
Other Aspects 4
Summary 4
2 Source Countries 5
Colombia 5
Bolivia and Peru 7
Mexico 7
The Golden Triangle 11
The Golden Crescent 11
Western Europe 13
Canada 13
United States 13
Summary 13
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition 15
Drug Scheduling 15
Narcotic Depressants 16
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Footwear Impression Evidence Second EditionWilliam JBodziak
Principles of Kinesic Interview and InterrogationStan Walters
Practical Fire and Arson Investigation Second EditionDavid RRedsicker and John JOrsquoConnor
The Practical Methodology of Forensic Photography Second EditionDavid RRedsicker
Practical Aspects of Interview and Interrogation Second EditionDavid EZulawski and Douglas EWicklander
Investigating Computer CrimeFranklin Clark and Ken Diliberto
Practical Homicide Investigation Checklist and Field GuideVernon JGeberth
Bloodstain Pattern Analysis With an Introduction to Crime SceneReconstruction Second EditionTom Bevel and Ross MGardner
Practical Aspects of Munchausen by Proxy and Munchausen SyndromeInvestigationKathryn Artingstall
Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis An Introduction to Basicand Advanced RidgeologyDavid RAshbaugh
Practical Criminal Investigations in Correctional FacilitiesWilliam RBell
Officer-Involved Shootings and Use of Force Practical InvestigativeTechniquesDavid EHatch
Sex-Related Homicide and Death Investigation Practical and ClinicalPerspectivesVernon JGeberth
iii
Global Drug Enforcement
Practical Investigative Techniques
Gregory DLee
CRC PRESS
Boca Raton London New York Washington DC
This edition published in the Taylor amp Francis e-Library 2005
ldquoTo purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor amp Francis or Routledgersquos collection ofthousands of eBooks please go to wwweBookstoretandfcoukrdquo
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataLee Gregory D 1953
Global drug enforcement practical investigative techniquesby Gregory DLeep cmmdash(CRC series in practical aspects of criminal and forensic investigations)
Includes bibliographical references and indexISBN 0-8493-1629-4
1 Drug trafficmdashInvestigation 2 Criminal investigation 3 Narcotics Control of 4Narcotics Control ofmdashInternational cooperation I Title II Series
HV8079N3L437 200336325prime977mdashdc22 2003058470
This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources Reprintedmaterial
is quoted with permission and sources are indicated A wide variety of references are listedReasonable
efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information but the author and the publishercannot
assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or for the consequences of their use
Neither this book nor any part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic
or mechanical including photocopying microfilming and recording or by any information storageor
retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher
The consent of CRC Press LLC does not extend to copying for general distribution for promotionfor
creating new works or for resale Specific permission must be obtained in writing from CRC PressLLC
for such copying
Direct all inquiries to CRC Press LLC 2000 NW Corporate Blvd Boca Raton Florida 33431
Trademark Notice Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks andare
used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe
Visit the CRC Press Web site at wwwcrcpresscom
copy 2004 by CRC Press LLC
No claim to original US Government works
ISBN 0-203-48898-9 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-58736-7 (Adobe eReader Format)International Standard Book Number 0-8493-1629-4 (Print Edition)
Library of Congress Card Number 2003058470
Dedication
This work is dedicated first of all to my wife Virginiafor her love devotion and encouragement throughout
this endeavor It is also dedicated to the brave menand women of the Drug Enforcement Administration
around the world who sacrifice so muchfor their country and fellow man
Editorrsquos Note
This textbook is part of the ldquoPractical Aspects of Criminal and ForensicInvestigationsrdquo series This series was created by Vernon JGeberth New YorkCity Police Department Lieutenant Commander (Retired) who is an authoreducator and consultant on homicide and forensic investigation This series hasbeen designed to provide contemporary comprehensive and pragmaticinformation to the practitioner involved in criminal and forensic investigation byauthors who are nationally recognized experts in their respective fields
Preface
Unlike other criminal investigation books that only devote a chapter or two to thetopic Global Drug Enforcement Practical Investigative Techniques is devotedentirely to this specialized field of proactive criminal investigation This bookreplicates and greatly expands on many of the topics both new and in-serviceemployees of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) receive in theirtraining
This book serves the needs of criminal justice majors federal agents policeofficers detectives newly assigned to a drug unit police training institutions andmembers of the legal profession who want to expand their knowledge in the fieldIt serves equally well as a reference for many foreign police officials who arecharged with enforcing their countryrsquos drug laws
There are two major parts The first deals in the fundamentals of druginvestigation and includes comprehensive chapters on drug identificationundercover operations and the handling of confidential informants The secondpart is devoted to complex drug cases with chapters on conspiracyinvestigations clandestine laboratories intelligence and money laundering
There is also a glossary of common terms used in drug enforcement as well astwo chapters devoted to the similarities in conducting drug and terrorisminvestigations and the nexus between drugs and terrorism Drug agents knowthat winning the war on drugs contributes significantly to winning the war onterrorism since drug profits fund many terrorism events Throughout the work Iuse the term drug agent which is synonymous with investigator detectiveofficer or any other title used by law enforcement personnel who perform druginvestigations
During my 30-year career in law enforcement I have taught drug enforcementand terrorism topics both to new and in-service federal agents state and localpolice officers foreign police officials and members of the US intelligencecommunity While a special agent with the DEArsquos Office of Training at the FBIAcademy in Quantico VA I traveled to Europe Asia Central and SouthAmerica and the Middle East as a member of an international training team Idiscovered each region I visited had a common thirst for more detailedknowledge on the subject that could not be found in print medium This textbookwas written in part to help provide domestic and international law enforcement
officers with a one-stop reference source on contemporary drug enforcementThe investigative techniques revealed in this textbook should work well in mostnations regardless of their judicial system
ix
Author
Gregory DLee recently retired as a Supervisory Special Agent for the USDepartment of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Throughouthis diverse government career he has conducted and supervised numerousinternational drug investigations and at one time was the resident agent-in-charge of the DEArsquos Karachi Pakistan office While in Pakistan from 1994 to1998 MrLee became involved in several notable terrorism investigations andparticipated in the arrest of Ramzi Ahmed Yousef the mastermind behind the1993 World Trade Center bombings and later testified at his trial As a result ofhis experiences in Pakistan he has lectured for and consulted with variousagencies within the US intelligence community He taught conspiracyinvestigations drug smuggling informant management and many other coursesas a course developerinstructor at the DEArsquos Office of Training located at theFBI Academy in Quantico Virginia He spent a year as a member of one of DEArsquosinternational training teams visiting many foreign countries providing drugenforcement training to foreign law enforcement officials He is the author ofseveral articles on drug enforcement topics for professional publications
including the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin and The Police Chief Lee alsoserved as a counselor for the 160th session of the FBI National Academy in 1990Prior to working for the DEA he was a police officer for the cities of Salinas andPasadena California He has a combination of over 30 years of active duty andUS Army Reserve service and is a Chief Warrant Officer 5Special Agent withthe US Army Criminal Investigation Command better known as CID As anarmy reservist Mr Lee is an associate instructor with the US Army MilitaryPolice School as a subject matter expert in terrorism and counter-drug operationsLee holds a master of public administration in justice administration degree fromGolden Gate University San Francisco and a bachelor of science in sociologywith a minor in vocational education from the University of Maryland Whileattending graduate school he taught a criminal investigation course for MontereyPeninsula College Monterey California
xi
Acknowledgments
I readily acknowledge that much of the information in this text stems from mytraining and experiences as a supervisory special agent with the worldrsquos premierdrug law enforcement agency the Drug Enforcement Administration Thanks arealso in order to the Military Police Corps and the US Army CriminalInvestigation Command (CID) I investigated my first drug case in 1973 as anactive duty military police investigator As an army reservist I am proud to havebeen associated with this outstanding organization for over 30 years and amgrateful for the opportunity to be an associate instructor for the US ArmyMilitary Police School
Contents
Section I THE FUNDAMENTALS 1
1 Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement 2
International in Scope 2
Interpersonal Relationships 2
Finance and Banking 3
Psychology 3
Communication Skills 3
Foreign Relations 3
Other Aspects 4
Summary 4
2 Source Countries 5
Colombia 5
Bolivia and Peru 7
Mexico 7
The Golden Triangle 11
The Golden Crescent 11
Western Europe 13
Canada 13
United States 13
Summary 13
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition 15
Drug Scheduling 15
Narcotic Depressants 16
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Global Drug Enforcement
Practical Investigative Techniques
Gregory DLee
CRC PRESS
Boca Raton London New York Washington DC
This edition published in the Taylor amp Francis e-Library 2005
ldquoTo purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor amp Francis or Routledgersquos collection ofthousands of eBooks please go to wwweBookstoretandfcoukrdquo
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataLee Gregory D 1953
Global drug enforcement practical investigative techniquesby Gregory DLeep cmmdash(CRC series in practical aspects of criminal and forensic investigations)
Includes bibliographical references and indexISBN 0-8493-1629-4
1 Drug trafficmdashInvestigation 2 Criminal investigation 3 Narcotics Control of 4Narcotics Control ofmdashInternational cooperation I Title II Series
HV8079N3L437 200336325prime977mdashdc22 2003058470
This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources Reprintedmaterial
is quoted with permission and sources are indicated A wide variety of references are listedReasonable
efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information but the author and the publishercannot
assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or for the consequences of their use
Neither this book nor any part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic
or mechanical including photocopying microfilming and recording or by any information storageor
retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher
The consent of CRC Press LLC does not extend to copying for general distribution for promotionfor
creating new works or for resale Specific permission must be obtained in writing from CRC PressLLC
for such copying
Direct all inquiries to CRC Press LLC 2000 NW Corporate Blvd Boca Raton Florida 33431
Trademark Notice Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks andare
used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe
Visit the CRC Press Web site at wwwcrcpresscom
copy 2004 by CRC Press LLC
No claim to original US Government works
ISBN 0-203-48898-9 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-58736-7 (Adobe eReader Format)International Standard Book Number 0-8493-1629-4 (Print Edition)
Library of Congress Card Number 2003058470
Dedication
This work is dedicated first of all to my wife Virginiafor her love devotion and encouragement throughout
this endeavor It is also dedicated to the brave menand women of the Drug Enforcement Administration
around the world who sacrifice so muchfor their country and fellow man
Editorrsquos Note
This textbook is part of the ldquoPractical Aspects of Criminal and ForensicInvestigationsrdquo series This series was created by Vernon JGeberth New YorkCity Police Department Lieutenant Commander (Retired) who is an authoreducator and consultant on homicide and forensic investigation This series hasbeen designed to provide contemporary comprehensive and pragmaticinformation to the practitioner involved in criminal and forensic investigation byauthors who are nationally recognized experts in their respective fields
Preface
Unlike other criminal investigation books that only devote a chapter or two to thetopic Global Drug Enforcement Practical Investigative Techniques is devotedentirely to this specialized field of proactive criminal investigation This bookreplicates and greatly expands on many of the topics both new and in-serviceemployees of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) receive in theirtraining
This book serves the needs of criminal justice majors federal agents policeofficers detectives newly assigned to a drug unit police training institutions andmembers of the legal profession who want to expand their knowledge in the fieldIt serves equally well as a reference for many foreign police officials who arecharged with enforcing their countryrsquos drug laws
There are two major parts The first deals in the fundamentals of druginvestigation and includes comprehensive chapters on drug identificationundercover operations and the handling of confidential informants The secondpart is devoted to complex drug cases with chapters on conspiracyinvestigations clandestine laboratories intelligence and money laundering
There is also a glossary of common terms used in drug enforcement as well astwo chapters devoted to the similarities in conducting drug and terrorisminvestigations and the nexus between drugs and terrorism Drug agents knowthat winning the war on drugs contributes significantly to winning the war onterrorism since drug profits fund many terrorism events Throughout the work Iuse the term drug agent which is synonymous with investigator detectiveofficer or any other title used by law enforcement personnel who perform druginvestigations
During my 30-year career in law enforcement I have taught drug enforcementand terrorism topics both to new and in-service federal agents state and localpolice officers foreign police officials and members of the US intelligencecommunity While a special agent with the DEArsquos Office of Training at the FBIAcademy in Quantico VA I traveled to Europe Asia Central and SouthAmerica and the Middle East as a member of an international training team Idiscovered each region I visited had a common thirst for more detailedknowledge on the subject that could not be found in print medium This textbookwas written in part to help provide domestic and international law enforcement
officers with a one-stop reference source on contemporary drug enforcementThe investigative techniques revealed in this textbook should work well in mostnations regardless of their judicial system
ix
Author
Gregory DLee recently retired as a Supervisory Special Agent for the USDepartment of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Throughouthis diverse government career he has conducted and supervised numerousinternational drug investigations and at one time was the resident agent-in-charge of the DEArsquos Karachi Pakistan office While in Pakistan from 1994 to1998 MrLee became involved in several notable terrorism investigations andparticipated in the arrest of Ramzi Ahmed Yousef the mastermind behind the1993 World Trade Center bombings and later testified at his trial As a result ofhis experiences in Pakistan he has lectured for and consulted with variousagencies within the US intelligence community He taught conspiracyinvestigations drug smuggling informant management and many other coursesas a course developerinstructor at the DEArsquos Office of Training located at theFBI Academy in Quantico Virginia He spent a year as a member of one of DEArsquosinternational training teams visiting many foreign countries providing drugenforcement training to foreign law enforcement officials He is the author ofseveral articles on drug enforcement topics for professional publications
including the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin and The Police Chief Lee alsoserved as a counselor for the 160th session of the FBI National Academy in 1990Prior to working for the DEA he was a police officer for the cities of Salinas andPasadena California He has a combination of over 30 years of active duty andUS Army Reserve service and is a Chief Warrant Officer 5Special Agent withthe US Army Criminal Investigation Command better known as CID As anarmy reservist Mr Lee is an associate instructor with the US Army MilitaryPolice School as a subject matter expert in terrorism and counter-drug operationsLee holds a master of public administration in justice administration degree fromGolden Gate University San Francisco and a bachelor of science in sociologywith a minor in vocational education from the University of Maryland Whileattending graduate school he taught a criminal investigation course for MontereyPeninsula College Monterey California
xi
Acknowledgments
I readily acknowledge that much of the information in this text stems from mytraining and experiences as a supervisory special agent with the worldrsquos premierdrug law enforcement agency the Drug Enforcement Administration Thanks arealso in order to the Military Police Corps and the US Army CriminalInvestigation Command (CID) I investigated my first drug case in 1973 as anactive duty military police investigator As an army reservist I am proud to havebeen associated with this outstanding organization for over 30 years and amgrateful for the opportunity to be an associate instructor for the US ArmyMilitary Police School
Contents
Section I THE FUNDAMENTALS 1
1 Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement 2
International in Scope 2
Interpersonal Relationships 2
Finance and Banking 3
Psychology 3
Communication Skills 3
Foreign Relations 3
Other Aspects 4
Summary 4
2 Source Countries 5
Colombia 5
Bolivia and Peru 7
Mexico 7
The Golden Triangle 11
The Golden Crescent 11
Western Europe 13
Canada 13
United States 13
Summary 13
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition 15
Drug Scheduling 15
Narcotic Depressants 16
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
This edition published in the Taylor amp Francis e-Library 2005
ldquoTo purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor amp Francis or Routledgersquos collection ofthousands of eBooks please go to wwweBookstoretandfcoukrdquo
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataLee Gregory D 1953
Global drug enforcement practical investigative techniquesby Gregory DLeep cmmdash(CRC series in practical aspects of criminal and forensic investigations)
Includes bibliographical references and indexISBN 0-8493-1629-4
1 Drug trafficmdashInvestigation 2 Criminal investigation 3 Narcotics Control of 4Narcotics Control ofmdashInternational cooperation I Title II Series
HV8079N3L437 200336325prime977mdashdc22 2003058470
This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources Reprintedmaterial
is quoted with permission and sources are indicated A wide variety of references are listedReasonable
efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information but the author and the publishercannot
assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or for the consequences of their use
Neither this book nor any part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic
or mechanical including photocopying microfilming and recording or by any information storageor
retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher
The consent of CRC Press LLC does not extend to copying for general distribution for promotionfor
creating new works or for resale Specific permission must be obtained in writing from CRC PressLLC
for such copying
Direct all inquiries to CRC Press LLC 2000 NW Corporate Blvd Boca Raton Florida 33431
Trademark Notice Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks andare
used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe
Visit the CRC Press Web site at wwwcrcpresscom
copy 2004 by CRC Press LLC
No claim to original US Government works
ISBN 0-203-48898-9 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-58736-7 (Adobe eReader Format)International Standard Book Number 0-8493-1629-4 (Print Edition)
Library of Congress Card Number 2003058470
Dedication
This work is dedicated first of all to my wife Virginiafor her love devotion and encouragement throughout
this endeavor It is also dedicated to the brave menand women of the Drug Enforcement Administration
around the world who sacrifice so muchfor their country and fellow man
Editorrsquos Note
This textbook is part of the ldquoPractical Aspects of Criminal and ForensicInvestigationsrdquo series This series was created by Vernon JGeberth New YorkCity Police Department Lieutenant Commander (Retired) who is an authoreducator and consultant on homicide and forensic investigation This series hasbeen designed to provide contemporary comprehensive and pragmaticinformation to the practitioner involved in criminal and forensic investigation byauthors who are nationally recognized experts in their respective fields
Preface
Unlike other criminal investigation books that only devote a chapter or two to thetopic Global Drug Enforcement Practical Investigative Techniques is devotedentirely to this specialized field of proactive criminal investigation This bookreplicates and greatly expands on many of the topics both new and in-serviceemployees of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) receive in theirtraining
This book serves the needs of criminal justice majors federal agents policeofficers detectives newly assigned to a drug unit police training institutions andmembers of the legal profession who want to expand their knowledge in the fieldIt serves equally well as a reference for many foreign police officials who arecharged with enforcing their countryrsquos drug laws
There are two major parts The first deals in the fundamentals of druginvestigation and includes comprehensive chapters on drug identificationundercover operations and the handling of confidential informants The secondpart is devoted to complex drug cases with chapters on conspiracyinvestigations clandestine laboratories intelligence and money laundering
There is also a glossary of common terms used in drug enforcement as well astwo chapters devoted to the similarities in conducting drug and terrorisminvestigations and the nexus between drugs and terrorism Drug agents knowthat winning the war on drugs contributes significantly to winning the war onterrorism since drug profits fund many terrorism events Throughout the work Iuse the term drug agent which is synonymous with investigator detectiveofficer or any other title used by law enforcement personnel who perform druginvestigations
During my 30-year career in law enforcement I have taught drug enforcementand terrorism topics both to new and in-service federal agents state and localpolice officers foreign police officials and members of the US intelligencecommunity While a special agent with the DEArsquos Office of Training at the FBIAcademy in Quantico VA I traveled to Europe Asia Central and SouthAmerica and the Middle East as a member of an international training team Idiscovered each region I visited had a common thirst for more detailedknowledge on the subject that could not be found in print medium This textbookwas written in part to help provide domestic and international law enforcement
officers with a one-stop reference source on contemporary drug enforcementThe investigative techniques revealed in this textbook should work well in mostnations regardless of their judicial system
ix
Author
Gregory DLee recently retired as a Supervisory Special Agent for the USDepartment of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Throughouthis diverse government career he has conducted and supervised numerousinternational drug investigations and at one time was the resident agent-in-charge of the DEArsquos Karachi Pakistan office While in Pakistan from 1994 to1998 MrLee became involved in several notable terrorism investigations andparticipated in the arrest of Ramzi Ahmed Yousef the mastermind behind the1993 World Trade Center bombings and later testified at his trial As a result ofhis experiences in Pakistan he has lectured for and consulted with variousagencies within the US intelligence community He taught conspiracyinvestigations drug smuggling informant management and many other coursesas a course developerinstructor at the DEArsquos Office of Training located at theFBI Academy in Quantico Virginia He spent a year as a member of one of DEArsquosinternational training teams visiting many foreign countries providing drugenforcement training to foreign law enforcement officials He is the author ofseveral articles on drug enforcement topics for professional publications
including the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin and The Police Chief Lee alsoserved as a counselor for the 160th session of the FBI National Academy in 1990Prior to working for the DEA he was a police officer for the cities of Salinas andPasadena California He has a combination of over 30 years of active duty andUS Army Reserve service and is a Chief Warrant Officer 5Special Agent withthe US Army Criminal Investigation Command better known as CID As anarmy reservist Mr Lee is an associate instructor with the US Army MilitaryPolice School as a subject matter expert in terrorism and counter-drug operationsLee holds a master of public administration in justice administration degree fromGolden Gate University San Francisco and a bachelor of science in sociologywith a minor in vocational education from the University of Maryland Whileattending graduate school he taught a criminal investigation course for MontereyPeninsula College Monterey California
xi
Acknowledgments
I readily acknowledge that much of the information in this text stems from mytraining and experiences as a supervisory special agent with the worldrsquos premierdrug law enforcement agency the Drug Enforcement Administration Thanks arealso in order to the Military Police Corps and the US Army CriminalInvestigation Command (CID) I investigated my first drug case in 1973 as anactive duty military police investigator As an army reservist I am proud to havebeen associated with this outstanding organization for over 30 years and amgrateful for the opportunity to be an associate instructor for the US ArmyMilitary Police School
Contents
Section I THE FUNDAMENTALS 1
1 Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement 2
International in Scope 2
Interpersonal Relationships 2
Finance and Banking 3
Psychology 3
Communication Skills 3
Foreign Relations 3
Other Aspects 4
Summary 4
2 Source Countries 5
Colombia 5
Bolivia and Peru 7
Mexico 7
The Golden Triangle 11
The Golden Crescent 11
Western Europe 13
Canada 13
United States 13
Summary 13
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition 15
Drug Scheduling 15
Narcotic Depressants 16
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Dedication
This work is dedicated first of all to my wife Virginiafor her love devotion and encouragement throughout
this endeavor It is also dedicated to the brave menand women of the Drug Enforcement Administration
around the world who sacrifice so muchfor their country and fellow man
Editorrsquos Note
This textbook is part of the ldquoPractical Aspects of Criminal and ForensicInvestigationsrdquo series This series was created by Vernon JGeberth New YorkCity Police Department Lieutenant Commander (Retired) who is an authoreducator and consultant on homicide and forensic investigation This series hasbeen designed to provide contemporary comprehensive and pragmaticinformation to the practitioner involved in criminal and forensic investigation byauthors who are nationally recognized experts in their respective fields
Preface
Unlike other criminal investigation books that only devote a chapter or two to thetopic Global Drug Enforcement Practical Investigative Techniques is devotedentirely to this specialized field of proactive criminal investigation This bookreplicates and greatly expands on many of the topics both new and in-serviceemployees of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) receive in theirtraining
This book serves the needs of criminal justice majors federal agents policeofficers detectives newly assigned to a drug unit police training institutions andmembers of the legal profession who want to expand their knowledge in the fieldIt serves equally well as a reference for many foreign police officials who arecharged with enforcing their countryrsquos drug laws
There are two major parts The first deals in the fundamentals of druginvestigation and includes comprehensive chapters on drug identificationundercover operations and the handling of confidential informants The secondpart is devoted to complex drug cases with chapters on conspiracyinvestigations clandestine laboratories intelligence and money laundering
There is also a glossary of common terms used in drug enforcement as well astwo chapters devoted to the similarities in conducting drug and terrorisminvestigations and the nexus between drugs and terrorism Drug agents knowthat winning the war on drugs contributes significantly to winning the war onterrorism since drug profits fund many terrorism events Throughout the work Iuse the term drug agent which is synonymous with investigator detectiveofficer or any other title used by law enforcement personnel who perform druginvestigations
During my 30-year career in law enforcement I have taught drug enforcementand terrorism topics both to new and in-service federal agents state and localpolice officers foreign police officials and members of the US intelligencecommunity While a special agent with the DEArsquos Office of Training at the FBIAcademy in Quantico VA I traveled to Europe Asia Central and SouthAmerica and the Middle East as a member of an international training team Idiscovered each region I visited had a common thirst for more detailedknowledge on the subject that could not be found in print medium This textbookwas written in part to help provide domestic and international law enforcement
officers with a one-stop reference source on contemporary drug enforcementThe investigative techniques revealed in this textbook should work well in mostnations regardless of their judicial system
ix
Author
Gregory DLee recently retired as a Supervisory Special Agent for the USDepartment of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Throughouthis diverse government career he has conducted and supervised numerousinternational drug investigations and at one time was the resident agent-in-charge of the DEArsquos Karachi Pakistan office While in Pakistan from 1994 to1998 MrLee became involved in several notable terrorism investigations andparticipated in the arrest of Ramzi Ahmed Yousef the mastermind behind the1993 World Trade Center bombings and later testified at his trial As a result ofhis experiences in Pakistan he has lectured for and consulted with variousagencies within the US intelligence community He taught conspiracyinvestigations drug smuggling informant management and many other coursesas a course developerinstructor at the DEArsquos Office of Training located at theFBI Academy in Quantico Virginia He spent a year as a member of one of DEArsquosinternational training teams visiting many foreign countries providing drugenforcement training to foreign law enforcement officials He is the author ofseveral articles on drug enforcement topics for professional publications
including the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin and The Police Chief Lee alsoserved as a counselor for the 160th session of the FBI National Academy in 1990Prior to working for the DEA he was a police officer for the cities of Salinas andPasadena California He has a combination of over 30 years of active duty andUS Army Reserve service and is a Chief Warrant Officer 5Special Agent withthe US Army Criminal Investigation Command better known as CID As anarmy reservist Mr Lee is an associate instructor with the US Army MilitaryPolice School as a subject matter expert in terrorism and counter-drug operationsLee holds a master of public administration in justice administration degree fromGolden Gate University San Francisco and a bachelor of science in sociologywith a minor in vocational education from the University of Maryland Whileattending graduate school he taught a criminal investigation course for MontereyPeninsula College Monterey California
xi
Acknowledgments
I readily acknowledge that much of the information in this text stems from mytraining and experiences as a supervisory special agent with the worldrsquos premierdrug law enforcement agency the Drug Enforcement Administration Thanks arealso in order to the Military Police Corps and the US Army CriminalInvestigation Command (CID) I investigated my first drug case in 1973 as anactive duty military police investigator As an army reservist I am proud to havebeen associated with this outstanding organization for over 30 years and amgrateful for the opportunity to be an associate instructor for the US ArmyMilitary Police School
Contents
Section I THE FUNDAMENTALS 1
1 Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement 2
International in Scope 2
Interpersonal Relationships 2
Finance and Banking 3
Psychology 3
Communication Skills 3
Foreign Relations 3
Other Aspects 4
Summary 4
2 Source Countries 5
Colombia 5
Bolivia and Peru 7
Mexico 7
The Golden Triangle 11
The Golden Crescent 11
Western Europe 13
Canada 13
United States 13
Summary 13
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition 15
Drug Scheduling 15
Narcotic Depressants 16
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Editorrsquos Note
This textbook is part of the ldquoPractical Aspects of Criminal and ForensicInvestigationsrdquo series This series was created by Vernon JGeberth New YorkCity Police Department Lieutenant Commander (Retired) who is an authoreducator and consultant on homicide and forensic investigation This series hasbeen designed to provide contemporary comprehensive and pragmaticinformation to the practitioner involved in criminal and forensic investigation byauthors who are nationally recognized experts in their respective fields
Preface
Unlike other criminal investigation books that only devote a chapter or two to thetopic Global Drug Enforcement Practical Investigative Techniques is devotedentirely to this specialized field of proactive criminal investigation This bookreplicates and greatly expands on many of the topics both new and in-serviceemployees of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) receive in theirtraining
This book serves the needs of criminal justice majors federal agents policeofficers detectives newly assigned to a drug unit police training institutions andmembers of the legal profession who want to expand their knowledge in the fieldIt serves equally well as a reference for many foreign police officials who arecharged with enforcing their countryrsquos drug laws
There are two major parts The first deals in the fundamentals of druginvestigation and includes comprehensive chapters on drug identificationundercover operations and the handling of confidential informants The secondpart is devoted to complex drug cases with chapters on conspiracyinvestigations clandestine laboratories intelligence and money laundering
There is also a glossary of common terms used in drug enforcement as well astwo chapters devoted to the similarities in conducting drug and terrorisminvestigations and the nexus between drugs and terrorism Drug agents knowthat winning the war on drugs contributes significantly to winning the war onterrorism since drug profits fund many terrorism events Throughout the work Iuse the term drug agent which is synonymous with investigator detectiveofficer or any other title used by law enforcement personnel who perform druginvestigations
During my 30-year career in law enforcement I have taught drug enforcementand terrorism topics both to new and in-service federal agents state and localpolice officers foreign police officials and members of the US intelligencecommunity While a special agent with the DEArsquos Office of Training at the FBIAcademy in Quantico VA I traveled to Europe Asia Central and SouthAmerica and the Middle East as a member of an international training team Idiscovered each region I visited had a common thirst for more detailedknowledge on the subject that could not be found in print medium This textbookwas written in part to help provide domestic and international law enforcement
officers with a one-stop reference source on contemporary drug enforcementThe investigative techniques revealed in this textbook should work well in mostnations regardless of their judicial system
ix
Author
Gregory DLee recently retired as a Supervisory Special Agent for the USDepartment of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Throughouthis diverse government career he has conducted and supervised numerousinternational drug investigations and at one time was the resident agent-in-charge of the DEArsquos Karachi Pakistan office While in Pakistan from 1994 to1998 MrLee became involved in several notable terrorism investigations andparticipated in the arrest of Ramzi Ahmed Yousef the mastermind behind the1993 World Trade Center bombings and later testified at his trial As a result ofhis experiences in Pakistan he has lectured for and consulted with variousagencies within the US intelligence community He taught conspiracyinvestigations drug smuggling informant management and many other coursesas a course developerinstructor at the DEArsquos Office of Training located at theFBI Academy in Quantico Virginia He spent a year as a member of one of DEArsquosinternational training teams visiting many foreign countries providing drugenforcement training to foreign law enforcement officials He is the author ofseveral articles on drug enforcement topics for professional publications
including the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin and The Police Chief Lee alsoserved as a counselor for the 160th session of the FBI National Academy in 1990Prior to working for the DEA he was a police officer for the cities of Salinas andPasadena California He has a combination of over 30 years of active duty andUS Army Reserve service and is a Chief Warrant Officer 5Special Agent withthe US Army Criminal Investigation Command better known as CID As anarmy reservist Mr Lee is an associate instructor with the US Army MilitaryPolice School as a subject matter expert in terrorism and counter-drug operationsLee holds a master of public administration in justice administration degree fromGolden Gate University San Francisco and a bachelor of science in sociologywith a minor in vocational education from the University of Maryland Whileattending graduate school he taught a criminal investigation course for MontereyPeninsula College Monterey California
xi
Acknowledgments
I readily acknowledge that much of the information in this text stems from mytraining and experiences as a supervisory special agent with the worldrsquos premierdrug law enforcement agency the Drug Enforcement Administration Thanks arealso in order to the Military Police Corps and the US Army CriminalInvestigation Command (CID) I investigated my first drug case in 1973 as anactive duty military police investigator As an army reservist I am proud to havebeen associated with this outstanding organization for over 30 years and amgrateful for the opportunity to be an associate instructor for the US ArmyMilitary Police School
Contents
Section I THE FUNDAMENTALS 1
1 Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement 2
International in Scope 2
Interpersonal Relationships 2
Finance and Banking 3
Psychology 3
Communication Skills 3
Foreign Relations 3
Other Aspects 4
Summary 4
2 Source Countries 5
Colombia 5
Bolivia and Peru 7
Mexico 7
The Golden Triangle 11
The Golden Crescent 11
Western Europe 13
Canada 13
United States 13
Summary 13
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition 15
Drug Scheduling 15
Narcotic Depressants 16
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Preface
Unlike other criminal investigation books that only devote a chapter or two to thetopic Global Drug Enforcement Practical Investigative Techniques is devotedentirely to this specialized field of proactive criminal investigation This bookreplicates and greatly expands on many of the topics both new and in-serviceemployees of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) receive in theirtraining
This book serves the needs of criminal justice majors federal agents policeofficers detectives newly assigned to a drug unit police training institutions andmembers of the legal profession who want to expand their knowledge in the fieldIt serves equally well as a reference for many foreign police officials who arecharged with enforcing their countryrsquos drug laws
There are two major parts The first deals in the fundamentals of druginvestigation and includes comprehensive chapters on drug identificationundercover operations and the handling of confidential informants The secondpart is devoted to complex drug cases with chapters on conspiracyinvestigations clandestine laboratories intelligence and money laundering
There is also a glossary of common terms used in drug enforcement as well astwo chapters devoted to the similarities in conducting drug and terrorisminvestigations and the nexus between drugs and terrorism Drug agents knowthat winning the war on drugs contributes significantly to winning the war onterrorism since drug profits fund many terrorism events Throughout the work Iuse the term drug agent which is synonymous with investigator detectiveofficer or any other title used by law enforcement personnel who perform druginvestigations
During my 30-year career in law enforcement I have taught drug enforcementand terrorism topics both to new and in-service federal agents state and localpolice officers foreign police officials and members of the US intelligencecommunity While a special agent with the DEArsquos Office of Training at the FBIAcademy in Quantico VA I traveled to Europe Asia Central and SouthAmerica and the Middle East as a member of an international training team Idiscovered each region I visited had a common thirst for more detailedknowledge on the subject that could not be found in print medium This textbookwas written in part to help provide domestic and international law enforcement
officers with a one-stop reference source on contemporary drug enforcementThe investigative techniques revealed in this textbook should work well in mostnations regardless of their judicial system
ix
Author
Gregory DLee recently retired as a Supervisory Special Agent for the USDepartment of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Throughouthis diverse government career he has conducted and supervised numerousinternational drug investigations and at one time was the resident agent-in-charge of the DEArsquos Karachi Pakistan office While in Pakistan from 1994 to1998 MrLee became involved in several notable terrorism investigations andparticipated in the arrest of Ramzi Ahmed Yousef the mastermind behind the1993 World Trade Center bombings and later testified at his trial As a result ofhis experiences in Pakistan he has lectured for and consulted with variousagencies within the US intelligence community He taught conspiracyinvestigations drug smuggling informant management and many other coursesas a course developerinstructor at the DEArsquos Office of Training located at theFBI Academy in Quantico Virginia He spent a year as a member of one of DEArsquosinternational training teams visiting many foreign countries providing drugenforcement training to foreign law enforcement officials He is the author ofseveral articles on drug enforcement topics for professional publications
including the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin and The Police Chief Lee alsoserved as a counselor for the 160th session of the FBI National Academy in 1990Prior to working for the DEA he was a police officer for the cities of Salinas andPasadena California He has a combination of over 30 years of active duty andUS Army Reserve service and is a Chief Warrant Officer 5Special Agent withthe US Army Criminal Investigation Command better known as CID As anarmy reservist Mr Lee is an associate instructor with the US Army MilitaryPolice School as a subject matter expert in terrorism and counter-drug operationsLee holds a master of public administration in justice administration degree fromGolden Gate University San Francisco and a bachelor of science in sociologywith a minor in vocational education from the University of Maryland Whileattending graduate school he taught a criminal investigation course for MontereyPeninsula College Monterey California
xi
Acknowledgments
I readily acknowledge that much of the information in this text stems from mytraining and experiences as a supervisory special agent with the worldrsquos premierdrug law enforcement agency the Drug Enforcement Administration Thanks arealso in order to the Military Police Corps and the US Army CriminalInvestigation Command (CID) I investigated my first drug case in 1973 as anactive duty military police investigator As an army reservist I am proud to havebeen associated with this outstanding organization for over 30 years and amgrateful for the opportunity to be an associate instructor for the US ArmyMilitary Police School
Contents
Section I THE FUNDAMENTALS 1
1 Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement 2
International in Scope 2
Interpersonal Relationships 2
Finance and Banking 3
Psychology 3
Communication Skills 3
Foreign Relations 3
Other Aspects 4
Summary 4
2 Source Countries 5
Colombia 5
Bolivia and Peru 7
Mexico 7
The Golden Triangle 11
The Golden Crescent 11
Western Europe 13
Canada 13
United States 13
Summary 13
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition 15
Drug Scheduling 15
Narcotic Depressants 16
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
officers with a one-stop reference source on contemporary drug enforcementThe investigative techniques revealed in this textbook should work well in mostnations regardless of their judicial system
ix
Author
Gregory DLee recently retired as a Supervisory Special Agent for the USDepartment of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Throughouthis diverse government career he has conducted and supervised numerousinternational drug investigations and at one time was the resident agent-in-charge of the DEArsquos Karachi Pakistan office While in Pakistan from 1994 to1998 MrLee became involved in several notable terrorism investigations andparticipated in the arrest of Ramzi Ahmed Yousef the mastermind behind the1993 World Trade Center bombings and later testified at his trial As a result ofhis experiences in Pakistan he has lectured for and consulted with variousagencies within the US intelligence community He taught conspiracyinvestigations drug smuggling informant management and many other coursesas a course developerinstructor at the DEArsquos Office of Training located at theFBI Academy in Quantico Virginia He spent a year as a member of one of DEArsquosinternational training teams visiting many foreign countries providing drugenforcement training to foreign law enforcement officials He is the author ofseveral articles on drug enforcement topics for professional publications
including the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin and The Police Chief Lee alsoserved as a counselor for the 160th session of the FBI National Academy in 1990Prior to working for the DEA he was a police officer for the cities of Salinas andPasadena California He has a combination of over 30 years of active duty andUS Army Reserve service and is a Chief Warrant Officer 5Special Agent withthe US Army Criminal Investigation Command better known as CID As anarmy reservist Mr Lee is an associate instructor with the US Army MilitaryPolice School as a subject matter expert in terrorism and counter-drug operationsLee holds a master of public administration in justice administration degree fromGolden Gate University San Francisco and a bachelor of science in sociologywith a minor in vocational education from the University of Maryland Whileattending graduate school he taught a criminal investigation course for MontereyPeninsula College Monterey California
xi
Acknowledgments
I readily acknowledge that much of the information in this text stems from mytraining and experiences as a supervisory special agent with the worldrsquos premierdrug law enforcement agency the Drug Enforcement Administration Thanks arealso in order to the Military Police Corps and the US Army CriminalInvestigation Command (CID) I investigated my first drug case in 1973 as anactive duty military police investigator As an army reservist I am proud to havebeen associated with this outstanding organization for over 30 years and amgrateful for the opportunity to be an associate instructor for the US ArmyMilitary Police School
Contents
Section I THE FUNDAMENTALS 1
1 Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement 2
International in Scope 2
Interpersonal Relationships 2
Finance and Banking 3
Psychology 3
Communication Skills 3
Foreign Relations 3
Other Aspects 4
Summary 4
2 Source Countries 5
Colombia 5
Bolivia and Peru 7
Mexico 7
The Golden Triangle 11
The Golden Crescent 11
Western Europe 13
Canada 13
United States 13
Summary 13
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition 15
Drug Scheduling 15
Narcotic Depressants 16
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Author
Gregory DLee recently retired as a Supervisory Special Agent for the USDepartment of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Throughouthis diverse government career he has conducted and supervised numerousinternational drug investigations and at one time was the resident agent-in-charge of the DEArsquos Karachi Pakistan office While in Pakistan from 1994 to1998 MrLee became involved in several notable terrorism investigations andparticipated in the arrest of Ramzi Ahmed Yousef the mastermind behind the1993 World Trade Center bombings and later testified at his trial As a result ofhis experiences in Pakistan he has lectured for and consulted with variousagencies within the US intelligence community He taught conspiracyinvestigations drug smuggling informant management and many other coursesas a course developerinstructor at the DEArsquos Office of Training located at theFBI Academy in Quantico Virginia He spent a year as a member of one of DEArsquosinternational training teams visiting many foreign countries providing drugenforcement training to foreign law enforcement officials He is the author ofseveral articles on drug enforcement topics for professional publications
including the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin and The Police Chief Lee alsoserved as a counselor for the 160th session of the FBI National Academy in 1990Prior to working for the DEA he was a police officer for the cities of Salinas andPasadena California He has a combination of over 30 years of active duty andUS Army Reserve service and is a Chief Warrant Officer 5Special Agent withthe US Army Criminal Investigation Command better known as CID As anarmy reservist Mr Lee is an associate instructor with the US Army MilitaryPolice School as a subject matter expert in terrorism and counter-drug operationsLee holds a master of public administration in justice administration degree fromGolden Gate University San Francisco and a bachelor of science in sociologywith a minor in vocational education from the University of Maryland Whileattending graduate school he taught a criminal investigation course for MontereyPeninsula College Monterey California
xi
Acknowledgments
I readily acknowledge that much of the information in this text stems from mytraining and experiences as a supervisory special agent with the worldrsquos premierdrug law enforcement agency the Drug Enforcement Administration Thanks arealso in order to the Military Police Corps and the US Army CriminalInvestigation Command (CID) I investigated my first drug case in 1973 as anactive duty military police investigator As an army reservist I am proud to havebeen associated with this outstanding organization for over 30 years and amgrateful for the opportunity to be an associate instructor for the US ArmyMilitary Police School
Contents
Section I THE FUNDAMENTALS 1
1 Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement 2
International in Scope 2
Interpersonal Relationships 2
Finance and Banking 3
Psychology 3
Communication Skills 3
Foreign Relations 3
Other Aspects 4
Summary 4
2 Source Countries 5
Colombia 5
Bolivia and Peru 7
Mexico 7
The Golden Triangle 11
The Golden Crescent 11
Western Europe 13
Canada 13
United States 13
Summary 13
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition 15
Drug Scheduling 15
Narcotic Depressants 16
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
including the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin and The Police Chief Lee alsoserved as a counselor for the 160th session of the FBI National Academy in 1990Prior to working for the DEA he was a police officer for the cities of Salinas andPasadena California He has a combination of over 30 years of active duty andUS Army Reserve service and is a Chief Warrant Officer 5Special Agent withthe US Army Criminal Investigation Command better known as CID As anarmy reservist Mr Lee is an associate instructor with the US Army MilitaryPolice School as a subject matter expert in terrorism and counter-drug operationsLee holds a master of public administration in justice administration degree fromGolden Gate University San Francisco and a bachelor of science in sociologywith a minor in vocational education from the University of Maryland Whileattending graduate school he taught a criminal investigation course for MontereyPeninsula College Monterey California
xi
Acknowledgments
I readily acknowledge that much of the information in this text stems from mytraining and experiences as a supervisory special agent with the worldrsquos premierdrug law enforcement agency the Drug Enforcement Administration Thanks arealso in order to the Military Police Corps and the US Army CriminalInvestigation Command (CID) I investigated my first drug case in 1973 as anactive duty military police investigator As an army reservist I am proud to havebeen associated with this outstanding organization for over 30 years and amgrateful for the opportunity to be an associate instructor for the US ArmyMilitary Police School
Contents
Section I THE FUNDAMENTALS 1
1 Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement 2
International in Scope 2
Interpersonal Relationships 2
Finance and Banking 3
Psychology 3
Communication Skills 3
Foreign Relations 3
Other Aspects 4
Summary 4
2 Source Countries 5
Colombia 5
Bolivia and Peru 7
Mexico 7
The Golden Triangle 11
The Golden Crescent 11
Western Europe 13
Canada 13
United States 13
Summary 13
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition 15
Drug Scheduling 15
Narcotic Depressants 16
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Acknowledgments
I readily acknowledge that much of the information in this text stems from mytraining and experiences as a supervisory special agent with the worldrsquos premierdrug law enforcement agency the Drug Enforcement Administration Thanks arealso in order to the Military Police Corps and the US Army CriminalInvestigation Command (CID) I investigated my first drug case in 1973 as anactive duty military police investigator As an army reservist I am proud to havebeen associated with this outstanding organization for over 30 years and amgrateful for the opportunity to be an associate instructor for the US ArmyMilitary Police School
Contents
Section I THE FUNDAMENTALS 1
1 Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement 2
International in Scope 2
Interpersonal Relationships 2
Finance and Banking 3
Psychology 3
Communication Skills 3
Foreign Relations 3
Other Aspects 4
Summary 4
2 Source Countries 5
Colombia 5
Bolivia and Peru 7
Mexico 7
The Golden Triangle 11
The Golden Crescent 11
Western Europe 13
Canada 13
United States 13
Summary 13
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition 15
Drug Scheduling 15
Narcotic Depressants 16
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Contents
Section I THE FUNDAMENTALS 1
1 Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement 2
International in Scope 2
Interpersonal Relationships 2
Finance and Banking 3
Psychology 3
Communication Skills 3
Foreign Relations 3
Other Aspects 4
Summary 4
2 Source Countries 5
Colombia 5
Bolivia and Peru 7
Mexico 7
The Golden Triangle 11
The Golden Crescent 11
Western Europe 13
Canada 13
United States 13
Summary 13
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition 15
Drug Scheduling 15
Narcotic Depressants 16
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Heroin and Opiates 17
History of Heroin in the United States 18
Heroin Production 20
How Heroin Is Used 21
Physical Effects of Heroin 21
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms 23
Heroin User Recognition 24
Cocaine 30
History of Cocaine Abuse 31
Harvest and Yield 32
Cocaine Extraction 33
Cocaine Abuse 33
Cocaine Abuse in the Workplace 34
Cocainersquos Physical Side Effects 36
Pharmacological Effects and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse 37
Crack Cocaine 38
Marijuana 41
Marijuana Source Countries 44
Indoor Growing 46
Hashish 47
Effects of Cannabis 48
Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine (MDMA) 48
Drug Recognition 52
Ecstasy Source Countries 55
Rave Parties 55
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) 56
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) 57
Ketamine 57
Methamphetamine 58
xiv
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 59
Physical Reaction 60
LSD Traffickers 60
Methylphenidate (Ritalinreg) 60
Phencyclidine (PCP) 61
Steroids 62
Other Drugs of Abuse 63
Summary 63
References 65
4 Confidential Informants 67
Purpose of Informants 68
Motivational Factors 68
Walk-InCall-In Informants 69
Fear 69
Revenge and Jealousy 70
Repentance 71
Altruism 71
Mercenaries 71
Egotism 71
James Bond Syndrome 72
The Wannabe 73
Perversely Motivated Informants 73
Restricted-Use Informants 74
Developing Confidential Informants 74
Supervisorrsquos Role in Informant Management 75
Protecting the Informantrsquos Identity 75
Avoid Making the Informant a Percipient Witness 76
Report-Writing Techniques 76
Using the Informant to Introduce Undercover Agents 76
xv
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Wall-Off Method 77
Camouflage Techniques 77
Other Considerations 78
The Informant File 79
Informant Debriefings 80
Agent-Informant Contact Procedures 80
Informant Payments 81
How to Make a Controlled Purchase Using an Informant 82
Thoroughly Debrief the Informant 83
Check Law Enforcement Indices 83
Monitor Phone Calls and Personal Visits between theInformant and the Suspect
84
Provide the Informant with Official Funds That Have theSerial Numbers Recorded
85
Wire the Informant for Sound 85
Designate Verbal and Visual Distress and Arrest Signals 85
Search the Informant and His Vehicle 86
Surveillance Team to Follow the Informant 86
Informant Is to Go to a Designated Cold Spot after theMeeting
86
Instruct the Informant to Immediately Return to the Office 87
The Seven Steps to Successful Informant Management 87
Keys to Success in Informant Management 88
Control 88
Honesty 88
Fairness and Respect 88
Clarity in Direction 88
Provide Training for the Informant 89
Summary 89
5 Sources of Information 90
xvi
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Airline Ticket Agents 91
Travel Agents 91
Car Rental Employees 91
Hotel Registration Clerks 92
Utility Companies 92
Telephone Service Providers 92
Real Estate Agents 93
Internet Service Providers 93
Banking Institutions 93
Taxi Drivers 94
County Assessorrsquos Office 94
Credit Bureaus 94
Express Shipping Companies 94
Yacht Club Employees 95
Boat and Yacht Sales Personnel 95
Flight Service Station Employees 95
Private Airplane Sales Personnel 95
Conclusion 95
Summary 96
6 Surveillance and Counter-Surveillance 97
Definition and Purpose of Surveillance 97
Types of Surveillance 98
Mobile 98
Stationary 98
Electronic 98
Objectives of Surveillance 98
Identify the Main Target of the Investigation 99
Identify Other Members of the Drug Organization 99
Locate Stash Locations 99
xvii
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Obtain Probable Cause for a Search Warrant 100
Locate Wanted Persons 100
Verify the Reliability of an Informant 101
Obtain Detailed Information 101
Prevent the Commission of a Crime or Arrest a Suspect in theAct
102
Obtain Information for Later Use during an Interrogation 102
Develop Clues and Information from Other Sources 102
Qualities of a Surveillance Agent 102
Normal Appearance 103
Act as Naturally as Possible 103
Alert 104
Resourceful 104
Observant 104
Patience and Stamina 105
Categories of Surveillance 105
Intelligence Gathering 105
Prebuy Surveillance 105
Postbuy Surveillance 106
Reconnaissance 106
Physical Survey 106
Other Considerations 78
Rules of Surveillance 108
Fundamentals of Surveillance 108
Using Air Support during Surveillance 109
Surveillance Notes and Reports 110
Counter-Surveillance 111
Counter-Surveillance Driving 112
Counter-Surveillance Equipment 113
Summary 114
xviii
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
7 Undercover Operations 115
Definition of Undercover 115
Purpose of Undercover Operations 115
Qualifications for Undercover Work 117
Undercover Agentsrsquo Traits 118
Intelligence 118
Self-Confidence 118
Courage 119
Good Judgment 120
Initiative and Resourcefulness 121
Good Memory 121
Good Communication Skills 122
Proper Experience for the Role 122
Good Common Sense 122
Necessary Preparations for Undercover Assignments 123
The Cover Story 124
Undercover Identity 125
Undercover Vehicles 127
Undercover Documents and Credit Cards 128
Planning the Undercover Operation 128
The Written Operational Plan 130
The Operational Briefing 137
The Undercover Meeting 138
Undercover Negotiations 139
Drug Samples 140
Use of Controlled Substances by Undercover Agents 141
Confidence Buys or Buy-Walk Operations 142
Buy-Bust Operations 144
Postbuy Debriefings 145
xix
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Proven Undercover Techniques and Strategies mdash PlayingMind Games with the Suspect
145
The Seven Critical Factors Leading to Undercover Violence 148
Poor Operational Planning 148
Making the Arrest 149
Managing the Flash Roll 149
Poor Communication 149
Complacency 150
Inaccessibility of Undercover Weapons 150
Making Inaccurate Conclusions from Accurate Observations 150
Summary 151
8 Flash Roll Management 152
Surprise Flashes vs Scheduled Flashes 152
Creating a Controlled Environment 153
Using a Second Undercover Agent 153
Use of an Informant to Display the Money 154
Seeing Drugs before Displaying the Money 155
Flash Roll Preparation 155
Summary 156
9 Evidence Collection and Preservation 157
Categories of Evidence 157
Collection of Evidence 157
Systematic Searching 157
Drug Detection Dogs 158
Drug Evidence 158
Handling Drug Evidence 159
Chain of Custody 159
Bulk Evidence 160
Field Testing of Drug Evidence 160
Nondrug Evidence 161
xx
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Fingerprints 162
Summary 163
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses 164
Background 164
Federal Parole Abolished 165
Longer Prison Sentences 165
The Sentencing Table 165
Drug Offense Sentencing Tables 166
Departures from the Guidelines 167
Court Ordered Departures 168
Criticism of the Guidelines 168
Evolutionary Process 169
Summary 169
References 169
11 Raid Planning and Execution 171
Raid Planning 172
Types of Raids 172
Site Surveys 172
Raid Briefing 173
Equipment 174
Raid Execution 174
Elements of a Successful Raid 174
Tactics 174
Physical Fitness 175
Mental Conditioning 175
Equipment 174
Firearms 175
Training 176
Consciousness Modes 176
xxi
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
White 176
Yellow 176
Orange 176
Red 177
Escalation of Force 177
British SAS Six-Man Snake Method 178
Summary 179
Section COMPLEX DRUG INVESTIGATIONS 181
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations 182
Definition of Conspiracy 183
Punishment for Conspiracy 184
Elements of Proof 184
Plurality Requirement 185
The Agreement 186
Overt Acts 186
Pinkerton Theory of Vicarious Liability 186
Withdrawal from the Conspiracy 187
Termination of the Conspiracy 188
Venue 188
Duration of the Conspiracy 189
Statute of Limitations 189
Types of Conspiracies 189
Ongoing Conspiracies 189
Historical Conspiracies 189
Chain Conspiracies 191
Wheel Conspiracies 192
Combination Wheel and Chain Conspiracies 192
Advantages of Conspiracy Investigations 193
xxii
II
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Simplicity 193
Crime Prevention 194
Leverage 194
Exception to the Hearsay Rule of Evidence 194
Asset Forfeiture 195
Disadvantages of Conspiracy Investigations 195
Conspiracy Investigations Can Be Protracted 195
Verification and Corroboration 196
No-Dope Conspiracies 196
Conspiracy Case Development 196
Confidential Informants 67
Undercover Agents 198
Asset Seizure Inquiries 198
Fixed and Mobile Surveillance 199
Pen Registers 200
Telephone Wiretaps and Technical Listening Devices 200
The Grand Jury 201
Coordination with Other Law Enforcement Agencies 202
Analytical Investigative SupportToll Analysis 202
Use of Public Private and Government Records 203
Polygraph Examinations 203
Mail Covers 205
Trash Runs 205
Photo Spreads 206
Technical Listening Equipment 206
Execution of Search Warrants for Documents 206
Coordination with the Prosecutor 207
Crimes Committed by Conspirators 208
Sealed Indictments 209
xxiii
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Arrest Warrants 209
Grand Jury Subpoenas 209
Immunity 210
Multiple Venues 210
Asset Seizures 210
Material Witness Warrants 211
Defense Attorney Trial Tactics 211
Defendant Withdrew from the Conspiracy 211
Outrageous Government Conduct 212
Taking the Fall for Others 212
Entrapment 213
Mistaken Identity 213
Fabrication of Exculpatory Evidence 213
Placing the Agent on Trial 215
Defendant Was Involved in an Entirely Different Conspiracy 216
The Blind Mule 216
Summary 216
References 217
13 Clandestine Laboratories 218
Specialty within Drug Law Enforcement 219
Booby-Traps 219
Countering Booby-Traps 219
Recognizing Clan Labs 220
Chemicals and Products Commonly Found at Clan Lab Sites 220
Other Clan Lab Indicators 222
Operational Laboratories 222
Summary 223
14 Transportation Hub Interdiction Operations 224
Courier Profiling 224
xxiv
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Approaching the Passenger 226
Other Considerations 78
Hotel Profiling 228
Summary 228
15 Smuggling and Smugglers 230
Definition of Smuggling 230
Agencies Conducting Smuggling Investigations 230
Drug Enforcement Administration 230
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement 231
US Border Patrol 233
Federal Aviation Administration 233
US Coast Guard 234
Federal Bureau of Investigation 234
Military Joint Task Forces (JTFs) 234
US Postal Service 235
Methods of Smuggling 235
Air 235
Land 235
Sea 236
Go-Fast Boats 237
Methods of Concealment 238
Unwitting Accomplices 239
Swallowers 239
Smugglersrsquo Profile 239
Characteristics of Drug Smuggling Organizations 239
Possess and Use State-of-the-Art Equipment 240
Well Organized 241
Well-Defined Roles 242
Large Number of Members 243
xxv
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Use of Private Investigators 243
Top Legal Help 243
Drug Smuggling Case Initiation 243
Methods of Investigating Smuggling Cases 244
Summary 244
16 Controlled Deliveries 245
Definition of Controlled Delivery 245
Internationally Controlled Delivery Scenario 245
Methods of Delivery 246
Domestic Controlled Deliveries 246
Mail Drops 247
Using a Ruse 247
Physical Evidence 248
Summary 248
17 Drug Intelligence 250
The Intelligence Analyst 250
Informant Debriefings 80
Telephone Subscriber Information 253
Telephone Toll Analysis 254
Wiretaps 255
Summary 255
References 256
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering 257
Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeitures 257
Judicial Forfeitures 259
Administrative Forfeitures 260
Policy Considerations 261
Notice 262
Criminal Forfeiture Procedures 263
xxvi
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Advantages of Criminal Forfeitures 264
Equitable Sharing Program 264
Determining Who Gets What 265
Permissible Uses of the Money 265
Money Laundering 266
Methods of Investigation 267
Assets vs Liability 267
Follow the Money 267
Typical Exchanges of Money 268
Money Laundering Methods 268
Bulk Shipments 269
Financial Institutions 269
Nonfinancial Institutions 270
Underground Banking Networks 272
Summary 272
References 273
19 Shared Traits of Drug Traffickers and Terrorists 274
Organizational Structure 275
Drug and Terrorism Source Countries 275
Money Laundering 266
Communications 276
Training Manuals 276
Immigration Fraud and False Identity Documents 277
Smuggling Techniques 277
Airport Profiling 278
Human Sources of Information 278
Parallel Investigative Techniques 279
Summary 280
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism 281
xxvii
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Afghanistan 283
Colombia 5
Peru 284
Middle East 284
Summary 285
References 285
21 Talking Points against Drug Legalization 286
Ten Undeniable Facts 286
A Law Enforcement Officerrsquos Approach to the Problem 291
Where to Go for Additional Help 292
Antidrug Organizations 292
Resources and Publications 294
Resources 294
Publications 294
Summary 296
References 296
Glossary of Terms Common to Drug Law Enforcement 297
Appendix A Controlled Substance Act Schedules 305
Appendix B Controlled Substances Alphabetically 319
Appendix C US Supreme Court Decision US v Sokolow 364
Index 376
xxviii
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Section I
The Fundamentals
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
1Introduction to Drug Law Enforcement
What distinguishes a drug law enforcement operation from traditional criminalinvestigations is that a drug case deals with crime as it occurs In almost everyoccasion before a formal drug investigation is launched a suspect has alreadybeen identified usually through an informant The drug agentrsquos challenge is tocorroborate the informantrsquos information build a prosecutable case against thesuspect identify and arrest all the other members of the drug traffickingorganization and seize as much drug evidence and drug-related financial assetsas possible
Drug agents are first and foremost criminal investigators Not only do theyneed to have the attributes of tenacious detectives but they must also possess anabundance of specialized knowledge along with good communication andinterpersonal relation skills Having a good understanding of geography differentcultures investments banking psychology and in some cases foreign relationsis also valuable All this knowledge will be put to use during a drug agentrsquoscareer conducting complex drug investigations
International in Scope
Because most drugs abused in the United States come from outside its bordersdrug investigations automatically become international in scope Domestic drugoperations are typically only a part of a much larger international conspiracywhere the conspirators have agreed to violate the drug laws of the United StatesIt is the drug agentrsquos mission to identify all the members of the conspiracyconfiscate their drugs and seize the assets of the conspirators that were gainedduring their criminal enterprise The international aspect of the crimedistinguishes drug cases from many other criminal investigations
Interpersonal Relationships
Almost all drug investigations are self-initiated Citizens do not routinely call theirlocal police department to report international drug conspiracies Drug agentsmust rely almost exclusively on sources of information or confidential
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
informants who are usually actively involved in the drug trade in order toidentify and build criminal cases against those persons engaged in the smugglingand distribution of illegal drugs Because these persons are most likely criminalsthemselves they must be handled differently than other witnesses criminalinvestigators encounter
Finance and Banking
Drug agents are authorized to identify locate and seize drug dealersrsquo financialassets in order to take the profit out of the crime Federal and state assetforfeiture laws allow some of these ill-gotten gains to be used by lawenforcement to supplement the cost of conducting drug investigationsThroughout their careers drug agents will often seize assets valued many timestheir salaries making their employment virtually cost free
Psychology
Using a drug agent in an undercover role is a common investigative technique indrug cases The agent must convince the criminal that he is dealing with anothercriminal involved in some aspect of the drug business The specific role theundercover agent takes and how convincing he or she is will have a profoundimpact on the overall success of the investigation Although it is the mosteffective technique there is in drug law enforcement more drug agents are killedor injured while working undercover assignments than in any other enforcementactivity Many agents have been injured when the drug trafficker attempts to stealthe money they were going to use to purchase the drugs Good training andtactics help counter this potential danger
Communication Skills
Modern drug agents are expected to have an extensive knowledge of drugidentification the physical and psychological effects on the user as well as howto conduct effective drug education and demand reduction programs The mostfrequently asked question of a drug agent is ldquoAre we winning the war ondrugsrdquo
Foreign Relations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains more than 78offices in 56 foreign countries to facilitate international drug conspiracyinvestigations impacting the United States These country attaches as the agents-in-charge are known and their fellow special agents establish and maintainrelationships with their foreign counterparts advise the ambassador on drug-related issues and train and mentor their foreign counterparts They are an
INTRODUCTION TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT 3
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
important part of US foreign relations in the field of global drug lawenforcement
Other Aspects
Drug agents must have a thorough understanding of the drug laws he or she has aduty to enforce and how to effectively apply them They rely heavily on the useof informants surveillance and historical intelligence to carve out aninvestigative product that will result in the convictions of those involved in theillegal drug trade Unless the twenty-first century drug agent possesses a widerange of expertise in the fundamentals of drug enforcement he or she cannotthoroughly debrief informants and suspects in order to gather the intelligencedata necessary to attack organized drug criminal groups
Summary
Successful drug agents are criminal investigators who possess the requisitespecialized knowledge of the drug trade He or she must have a goodunderstanding of where illegal drugs originate as well as how they aremanufactured smuggled sold and used Furthermore they need a workingknowledge of how illicit drug profits are returned to these source countries andhow the money is laundered to appear to come from legitimate sources
Drug agents are expected to have the answers to questions concerning drugabuse symptoms users display how drugs in the workplace affect productivitydrug trafficking trends harsh mandatory minimum sentences racial profilingand the inevitable questions on drug legalization and if the war on drugs can bewon
4 GLOBAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
References
3 Drug Identification and User Recognition
1 Ecstasy and Predatory Drugs US Drug EnforcementAdministration February 2003
2 Drug Intelligence Brief Drug EnforcementAdministration September 2000
Figure 346 Variety of steroids seized by the US CustomsService (Courtesy of US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Figure 347 Glue as an inhalant (Courtesy of the US DrugEnforcement
Administration)
Figure 348 Solvent used as an inhalant (Courtesy of theUS Drug Enforcement
Administration)
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
10 US Sentencing Guidelines for DrugOffenses
1 28 US Code sect 994(b) (2)
2 Federal Criminal Case Processing 1980ndash89 withpreliminary date for 1990 Bureau of Justice StatisticsOctober 1991 p 17
3 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Section3B13 (November 1991) comment (n2)
4 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sections2D12 3A11
5 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Ch 3Pt k
6 Mistretta v United States 488 US 361 109 S Ct647 1989 May 17 1993 p F7
8 The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of1994 Publ No 103ndash 322 Sec 80001 108 Stat 1985
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
12 Drug Conspiracy Investigations
1 lannelli v United States 420 US 770 1975
2 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual Sec2D14(a)Nov 1991
3 United States vFigueroa 720 F2d 1239 1983
4 United States vGoodwin 492 F2d 1141 1974
5 Pinkerton vUnited States 328 US 640 66 S Ct 118090 LEd 1489 1946
6 United States vGutierrez 978 F2d 1463 7th Cir 1992
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
17 Drug Intelligence
1 Source Debriefing Guide US Department of JusticeDrug Enforcement Administration
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
18 Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering
1 The Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 Pub LNo 106ndash185 114 Stat 202
2 18 US Code sect 983(c) 114 Stat 205
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
20 Nexus between Drugs and Terrorism
1 Report on Foreign Terrorists Organizations USDepartment of State October 2001
2 Priest D and Farah DTerror Alliance Has USWorried The Washington Post June 30 2002
3 Vartabedian R US Officials Announce 2 TerrorismIndictments Los Angeles Times November 7 2002
4 Molina MA Mi Confesioacuten (My Confession Carlos Castaprimeo Reveals His Secrets) Los Angeles Times November 72002
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
21 Talking Points against DrugLegalization
1 Source Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Profile ofJail Inmates 1996 NCJ 164620 April 1998
2 Drug Use Testing and Treatment in Jails NCJ 179999May 2000
3 BJS Substance Abuse and Treatment State and FederalPrisoners 1997 NCJ 172871 January 1999 Enforcement
ACISS An automated date analysis system
ADA Assistant District Attorney Attorney who acts underthe authority of the
District Attorneyrsquos office to represent the state in allcriminal matters within a
particular jurisdiction typically a county
AMA Dump A common term for a cellular telephone company
APB All points bulletin advisory police board Generalpolicy of the FBI is
recommended by the APB that operates under the principlesof the National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) It is comprised of memberlaw enforcement
agencies across the United States
ASAC Assistant special agent in charge The term is used bythe DEA FBI US
Secret Service and most other federal agencies
ATF Commonly used to reference the US Department ofJusticersquos Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms formerly a part of theDepartment of Treasury
AUSA Assistant US Attorney A federal prosecutor whohandles criminal and
civil matters for the US government
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Activity flowcharting Used to pinpoint patterns of activityas sequential events
Administrative subpena The DEA FBI and other agencies areauthorized by
statute to issue subpenas for records including telephonesubscriber and toll
information They cannot be used to obtain bank records Agrand jury subpoena
is required for bank records Note the different spellingof subpoena when
referring to administrative subpenas
Affidavit A sworn written statement made under oath beforean individual
authorized by law to certify the statement Affidavits areused in support for an
application for a search warrant
Affiant The law enforcement official who files a swornaffidavit in support of the
application for a search or arrest warrant
Analysis The function of developing meaning from collecteddata or information
Analyst Notebookreg A commonly used software program to aidin the analysis
of data and to construct link diagrams and flow charts
Association matrix The first step in the link analysisprocess Shows the raw data
about people and organizations associated with known orsuspected criminal
activity It is an effort to organize this information intoa systematic or logical
order
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
BATF Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Now a partof the Department
of Justice it is responsible for the enforcement andadministration of laws
related to alcohol tobacco firearms explosives arsonand other destructive
devices
C3I Command control communication and intelligence Adivision of the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the USCustoms Service
responsible for ground-and aerial-based tracking radars Itis the main
clearinghouse for detecting suspicious aircraft involved insmuggling
which allows the government to use technology that isreasonably available
during the course of an investigation
CI Confidential informant Sometimes called confidentialsource (CS) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CIA Central Intelligence Agency Operates the Crime andNarcotics Center
Monitors reviews and delivers information aboutinternational drug trafficking
and international organized crime to government leaders andlaw enforcement
agencies
CID The Criminal Investigation Division of the InternalRevenue Service (IRS)
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Also the Criminal Investigation Command of the US ArmyIRS CID is a
member agency of the OCDETF program
CPIC Canadian Police Information Centre Operates similarlyto the FBIrsquos NCIC
CS Confidential source Sometimes called confidentialinformant (CI) or
cooperating witness (CW) Used in drug investigations dueto their specific and
intimate information related to drug trafficking activity
CSA Controlled Substance Act Title 21 of the US Codethat created the DEA
and contains criminal statutes related to federal drugviolations
CTA Control terminal agency The message switcher used ineach state for NCIC
traffic
CTR Currency transaction report
CW Cooperating witness or confidential witness Sometimescalled confidential
source (CS) or confidential informant (CI) Used in druginvestigations due to
their specific and intimate information related to drugtrafficking activity
Cell site Cellular telephones emit a signal that can betraced back to a particular
cellular tower Each cell site has a numerical identifiercalled a cell site
Circuit court A court that has jurisdiction over severalcounties districts or
states A circuit court holds sessions in all these areas
Commodities In general terms something of common value for
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
trade or
commerce A tangible good such as products or merchandiseother than a
service In the drug trade a commodity could be the drugitself weapons
money or other services which may be provided
Commodities flowcharting Graphic illustration showing theflow of a
commodity either tangible or intangible during a criminalactivity
Consumers In the drug trade this person is an addictedindividual who buys small
quantities of drugs for personal use
Controlled Substance Act Also known as the CSA Title 21 ofthe US Code
that created the DEA and contains criminal statutes relatedto federal drug
violations
Control terminal Message center for delivering messages tothe NCIC and
retrieving messages from the CTA Each state has a versionof this messaging
system
Corroborate To strengthen and support with evidence As incorroborating the
information provided by a CI
Court order A written direction instruction or commandhanded down by a
judge Also known as a judicial order
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) withinthe Department
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
of Homeland Security ICE has the authority to search anyperson vehicle or
container entering or leaving the United States without awarrant
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration A part of the USDepartment of Justice
it has the responsibility of enforcing the ControlledSubstance Act (CSA)
Member agency of the OCDETF program
DNR Dialed number recorder Device that is attached to atelephone line and
provides real time information about numbers dialed by thetarget phone Also
known as a pen register They do not provide the content ofthe telephone
conversation but do provide information on the time dateand duration of the
call as well as the number dialed A court order isrequired to install such a
device
DO District office Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a field
division but superior to a resident office
Detective Criminal investigator for a local policedepartment
District Attorney A local public official who is elected orappointed to represent
the state in all criminal matters in a particularjurisdiction usually a county
District Court A trial court which has general jurisdictionin a specific judicial
district The United States has 92 district courts locatedthroughout the country
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
and its territories
EPIC The El Paso Intelligence Center Joint federalorganization managed by the
Drug Enforcement Administration located in Fort Bliss TXIt is a national
repository of criminal information related to drugs aliensmuggling and
weapons Serves as a one-stop-shop for member agencies torun individuals
through multiple federal databases
Event flowcharting Provides a graphical depiction of aseries of events in order
of occurrence
Extension of the border search An investigative techniqueused by ICE where
a vehicle entering the United States that is believed to becarrying drugs or other
contraband is followed and then searched upon its arrivalat its initial stopping
place A search warrant is not required for this search
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigates a varietyof violations of US
Code Has concurrent Title 21 (CSA) authority with the DEAMember agency
of OCDETE
FBI-AIS Federal Bureau of Investigation AutomaticIdentification System
Automated system for identifying record fingerprints
FBI-III Federal Bureau of Investigation InterstateIdentification Index
FINCEN Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FINCEN was
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
established as a
multi-agency multi-source financial intelligence andanalytical network to
serve as a source of systematic identification collationand analysis of
information related to financial crimes
FMS search A common term for a cellular telephone provider
Federal Appellate Court A circuit court that may overturnor uphold the
standings of a federal trial court within its jurisdiction
Federal court A court which has federal jurisdictionFederal courts include the
US Supreme Court Courts of Appeals district courtsbankruptcy courts and
tax courts
commodities Shows a progression of activities over aperiod of time
Flipping a suspect The process of convincing a freshlyarrested drug suspect to
become a confidential informant
FAA Federal Aviation Administration Provides informationpertaining to pilots
mechanics and the registration and history of aircraftMember agency of
OCDETF
FSN Foreign service national An employee of a US embassywho is a local
national of the host country The DEA employs many vettedFSN investigators
at their more than 78 offices worldwide
Friendly A person who is a confidential informant
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
GJ Refers to a grand jury
GS Group supervisor Term used for a supervisory specialagent of the DEA
Grand jury A body of citizens who are impaneled at randomand who serve for
at least a month sometimes up to a year or more and whoin proceedings outside
of the courtroom decides where to issue indictments Atrue bill of indictment
is issued if the grand jury decides that evidence in acertain case is strong enough
to charge a suspect with a specific crime Grand juries areusually comprised
of 24 persons
Grand jury subpoena A writ issued by a grand jury to obtainrecords including
bank and other financial records
HIDTA High intensity drug trafficking area This program isfunded by the Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provideresources to locations
that have been designated as having critical drugtrafficking problems HIDTAs
are located throughout the United States predominately inlarge metropolitan
centers
HIFCA High-intensity money laundering and related crimearea Similar to
HIDTAs however its focus is on major money-launderingorganizations
operating within a specific geographical area
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
IA or IA (1) Intelligence analyst (2) Investigativeassistant (3) Internal affairs
IRS US Internal Revenue Service Responsible forenforcing the tax codes of
the United States IRS special agents can seize propertyand money believed to
be derived from drug trafficking A part of the USTreasury Department that
investigates through its Criminal Investigation Division(CID) persons who
evade paying income taxes through profits from legal andillegal business such
as the drug trade IRS CID is a member of the OCDETFprogram
In camera When confidential or sensitive information isexamined outside of the
court session to determine whether it can become publicrecord
Indictment A formal accusation of a specific crime broughtby a prosecutor and
returned by a grand jury An indictment can be in lieu of apretrial hearing
Intelligence analyst Also known as an IA A member of aninvestigative team
whose responsibility is to determine relationships betweenpeople and events
INTERPOL The International Police Organization Aninternational law
enforcement and criminal intelligence association with morethan 125 member
nations Contact with INTERPOL is made through differentmember federal
agencies including the FBI and DEA
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Interstate Crossing a state line outside the borders of astate
Oakland CA and South located in Key West FL Bothprovide military assets
in drug interdiction operations in the Pacific AtlanticGulf of Mexico and
Caribbean
JTF Joint task force A joint military operation inparticipation with the DEA
FBI and ICE It is designed to provide analytical andlogistic support in counter
drug operations
Jurisdiction The territory or limitations in whichpolitical or judicial authority
may be exercised
Key Refers to a kilo
Kilo A metric unit of measurement equaling 1000 grams andweighing
approximately 22 pounds
LEA Law enforcement agency
LEIU Law enforcement intelligence unit Located inCalifornia this unit is a
nationwide organization with members from state countyand local agencies
Also included is Canada
Lane check A check the Bureau of Immigration and CustomsEnforcement makes
to determine if a particular person has recently enteredthe United States See
Silent lookout
Link analysis An investigative tool to graphically
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
illustrate known and suspected
associates of individuals businesses and other entitiesin a complex drug
conspiracy investigations Used for one set period of timeonly
MAGLOCLEN Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime LawEnforcement
Network A part of the Regional Information Sharing System(RISS) located
in Pennsylvania
MSOCIC Mid States Organized Crime Information Center Apart of the RISS
located in Missouri
MTF Multi-jurisdictional task forces MTFs are sponsored byfederal agencies
that federally deputize state and local task force officers(TFO) who may need
to cross outside their jurisdiction in the course of acriminal investigation
Mag Ct US magistrate court
Measured Service Telephone calls made on a payment per callbasis
Mule An individual who is hired to smuggle drugs or moneyA drug smuggler
NADDIS Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information SystemMaintained by the
DEA covering over three million records with worldwideinformation archived
and current drug related investigations names addressesand telephone
numbers
NCIC National Crime Information Center Standardizes data
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
for the FBI and
participating states on information related to peoplevehicles properties and
securities Also contains the US Secret Servicersquosprotective files
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigation Service Responsible forhandling all
investigations for naval counter-intelligence and security
NDIC National Drug Intelligence Center Located inJohnstown PA this agency
collects comprehensive information from 88 differentagencies to gain global
strategic information about drug related activity Providesanalytical products
and support for large-scale federal drug investigationsReports directly to the
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
located in Massachusetts
NLETS National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Anationwide
system of telecommunication that assists in the exchange ofinformation
between states and to Canada (through INTERPOL)
OCDETF Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forcesprogram Federal
program initiated in 1982 which provides funding andexpertise for selected
investigations concerning organized drug traffickersMember agencies include
the DEA US Marshals Service US Coast Guard FBI FAAIRS and ICE
ONDCP Office of National Drug Control Policy ONDCP falls
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
under the
executive office of the President of the United States andwas established to
oversee the implementation of drug control strategies andadvises the National
Security Council (NSC) on drug related policy
ORI Originating agency identifier A nine character codeused by the US Justice
Department through the FBI NCIC to identify lawenforcementcriminal justice
agencies
OSI Air Force Office of Investigations Responsible forcriminal investigations
and counter-intelligence matters affecting the US AirForce
Ounce A unit of measurement approximately 28 grams
PC Probable cause A requirement for search and seizure andarrest warrants
Requires that sufficient knowledge and facts be present toreasonably believe
that a crime has been committed or that property isconnected with a criminal
act
POD Post of duty Term used by the DEA for an officesubordinate to a resident
office Usually staffed with two or three special agents
Penlinkreg A commonly used software program used byintelligence analysts to
download and receive telephone numbers
Pen register Also known as a dialed number recorder (DNR)Device that is
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
attached to a telephone line and provides real timeinformation about numbers
dialed on the target phone The equipment does not providethe content of the
telephone conversation but do provide information on thetime date and
duration of the call as well as the number dialed A courtorder is required to
install such a device
Pipeline stop Refers to Operation Pipeline When a statetrooper stops a driver
because he and his vehicle exhibit characteristicsindicative of being a cross
country drug courier
Posse comitatus The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was passedby Congress in
response to military interference with a civil electionThe act restricts the power
of the military in regards to enforcing civilian lawRevisions to this act have
expanded the militaryrsquos role in providing assistance tocivilian law enforcement
personnel combating drug related criminal activity
Producers Individuals or organizations that produce anddistribute a drug to
wholesalers who have distribution networks in place
Prosecution summary A summary prepared by the prosecutingattorney who
outlines the major events of a case
RA Resident agency Term used by the FBI and other federalagencies to identify
an office that is subordinate to a field division
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
agent in charge of a resident office (RO)
RO Resident office Term used by the DEA to signify anoffice subordinate to a
district office or field division
RISS Regional Information Sharing Systems This program isfederally funded
to support law enforcement agencies in their efforts tocombat organized crime
drug trafficking gang activity and violent crime Thisprogram is made up of
six regional projects covering all 50 states Theseregional projects are
MAGELOCEN MOCIC NESPIN RMIN ROCIC and WSIN
RMIN Rocky Mountain Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in Arizona
ROCIC Regional Organized Crime Information Center A partof the RISS
program located in Tennessee
Reasonable suspicion Facts or other information that wouldcause a reasonable
person to believe that a crime has been or was about to becommitted
Retailers Street level drug dealers who deal in smallquantities
SA or SA Special agent Term used by most federal agenciesto designate a
criminal investigator
SAC Special agent in charge
SSA Supervisory special agent
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
SSRA Supervisory senior resident agent Term used by theFBI to designate the
agent in charge of a resident agency (RA)
Significant violator A major drug trafficker who may be anorganizer manager
or supervisor for a large a criminal organization
Silent lookout ICE will tell a requesting law enforcementagency when a
particular suspect or his vehicle enters the United StatesICE inspectors will
not harass or otherwise alert the suspect he is beingscrutinized
Subpoena A court ordered writ demanding that an individual(1) appear in a court
proceeding to testify and (2) produce documents or otheritems in a court
proceeding under penalty of prosecution
2DetectML A money-laundering detection system used by theDEA ICE and
the IRS that monitors financial transactions to detect thepresence of money
laundering It is manufactured by Actionable IntelligenceTechnologies
TECS Treasury Enforcement Computer System Maintained byICE records pilot
and flight records in and out of the country It alsorecords boat registrations
and look out lists of boats and aircrafts transiting in andout of the country
TFO Task force officer
TSA Transportation Security Administration A part of theDepartment of
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Homeland Security charged with providing air marshals andluggage screeners
at airports throughout the United States
Target The subject of a drug investigation
Telephone debit cards Cards that provide prepaid telephoneservice Often used
by drug traffickers because there is no record of the saleof the cards However
if found on a drug dealer the company that issued the cardcan provide a listing
of telephone numbers called from the card number
Telephone toll analysis The act of analyzing telephone tollrecords to establish
a link between individuals in an investigation Can showlinks in a criminal
drug investigation
Title III Sometimes called T-3 The portion of federal lawthat governs the use of
wiretaps
Trial court The court that has the original jurisdictionand where the evidence is
first considered
Transporting groups Networks that have transportationchannels to specific and
strategically located distribution points At thedistribution points they sell
wholesale quantities to a chain of distributors
UC (1) Undercover (2) Undercover agent
UMS search A common term for a cellular telephone company
US Attorney Appointed by the President the US Attorneyfor each of the 92
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
federal judicial districts represents the United States inall criminal and civil
matters that fall under federal jurisdiction
USCG United States Coast Guard Among other duties theUSCG conducts drug
interdiction missions and have the authority to arrest drugsmugglers attempting
to introduce contraband into the United States It is now apart of the Department
of Homeland Security
USMS United States Marshals Service Part of the USDepartment of Justice
these federal officers carry out the orders of the federalcourts They provide
courtroom security in federal court and arrest federalfugitives many of which
are wanted for drug violations
USSS United States Secret Service Responsible forprotecting the President
Secret Service agents prevent and investigatecounterfeiting and investigate
criminal activity related to money transfers and computerfraud
US Court of Appeals A federal appellate court that hasjurisdiction over the 13
judicial districts District of Columbia and federalcircuit court Cases from
these districts can be stayed or overturned by the USCourt of Appeals
WSIN Western States Information Network A part of the RISSprogram located
in California
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations
Wall-off An investigative technique in drug cases in whichthe involvement of a
federal agency is disguised in order to not alert the drugtraffickers there is a
federal interest in their illegal activities
Wholesalers Drug dealers who have distribution networks inplace Wholesalers
can be small or extensive organizations