The DMP was originally designed to enable DEA to monitor the price and purity of retail- level heroin sold in the United States; it now also provides for the purchase of heroin for signature analysis. The DMP data are intended to provide law enforcement with a snapshot of where heroin at the retail level, in certain metropolitan areas, originates. For example, HSP and DMP data are frequently included in DEA intelligence and investigative reports to corroborate heroin trafficking trends in the United States and to inform DEA and other federal law enforcement agencies about heroin trafficking. Quantity of Heroin Seized at Ports-of- Entry by Customs but not Sent to DEA for Testing May Be Sufficient To Make a Difference in Results Reported by DEA

According to DEA officials, all ports-of-entry seizures sent to DEA by Customs are tested by DEA for geographic source. However, for several reasons, Customs is not required to send all seized heroin to DEA. This is incorrect. Appendix I: Heroin Signature Program

The Heroin Signature Program (HSP) sample was selected using sampling procedures for two categories of eligible exhibits. The first category included exhibits from seizures made by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Washington D.C., Metropolitan Police Department. HSP Limitations

Our analysis of the HSP methodology found that the HSP data, with modifications, could produce valid estimates about the geographic source of all wholesale heroin seized in the United States and forwarded to DEA for testing. 1. Appendix II: Domestic Monitor Program

DEA produced tables using the Domestic Monitor Program (DMP) data. Appendix III: Comments from the Drug Enforcement Administration
Why GAO Did This Study

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) runs two programs--the Heroin Signature Program and the Domestic Monitor Program--that provide information on trends in heroin trafficking. The only programs of their kind in this country, these two program conduct chemical analyses to pinpoint the geographic origin of heroin being sold on the streets. The Domestic Monitor Program determines (1) the source of heroin that has been bought undercover in 23 U.S. cities and (2) the purity and price of heroin at the retail level. The Heroin Signature Program provides law enforcement with information on the origins of heroin at the wholesale and retail level in some U.S. cities. Data from the two programs are included in intelligence and investigative reports provided to DEA and other federal law enforcement agencies, which use this information to adjust their drug enforcement efforts. The quantity of heroin seized by the Customs Service at ports-of-entry but not sent to DEA for testing may make a difference in the results reported by DEA. All seizures at ports-of-entry forwarded to DEA are tested for geographic source, according to DEA officials. However, Customs is not required to send all heroin seizures to DEA.

What GAO Found

GAO found that the usefulness of the data from and Heroin Signature Program and the Domestic Monitor Program is limited because they are based on nonrepresentative samples of their respective populations. GAO believes that DEA could produce stronger estimates if it modified its methodology.