This report focuses on the federal or federally funded organizations we identified as having a principal role in collecting and/or producing counterdrug intelligence. Within these 2 communities, we identified at least 22 federal or federally funded organizations spread across 5 cabinet-level departments (Justice, Treasury, Transportation, Defense, and State) and 2 cabinet-level organizations (ONDCP and the Director of Central Intelligence) whose roles include collecting and/or producing counterdrug intelligence information. Counterdrug intelligence organizations employ human, electronic, photographic, and/or other technical means to collect intelligence information. Organizations with a principal role in collecting and/or producing counterdrug intelligence provided us with unclassified information showing that at least $295 million was spent for counterdrug intelligence in fiscal year 1997. Numbers of Personnel Assigned to Counterdrug Intelligence Activities

The number of federal personnel assigned to counterdrug intelligence collection and/or production activities is difficult to determine because in many cases organizations are not authorized and/or do not track personnel positions specifically for counterdrug intelligence activities, yet have personnel who perform counterdrug intelligence functions; there is no single governmentwide source from which to obtain information on the number of counterdrug intelligence personnel (e.g., ONDCP’s 1997 National Drug Control Strategy Budget Summary reported estimates of total counterdrug personnel resources—i.e., full-time equivalents—but did not further delineate personnel by intelligence or other key ONDCP drug function); some personnel perform functions that serve more than one purpose, and it was difficult for organization officials to determine the amount of time these people spent specifically on counterdrug intelligence duties as opposed to other duties (e.g., law enforcement officers collect intelligence as part of their investigative activities); and some intelligence personnel perform functions in support of multiple missions, and it was difficult to determine how much time they spent on counterdrug intelligence activities (e.g., Customs intelligence research specialists support Customs’ trade, fraud, and export control missions in addition to its counterdrug mission). The Justice, Defense, and Treasury Departments account for over 90 percent of the total estimated unclassified number of federal personnel who support counterdrug intelligence programs and activities. National level policymakers use these assessments in developing drug control policies and strategies. 2, 14 U.S.C.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO evaluated federal counterdrug intelligence coordination efforts, focusing on identifying: (1) organizations that collect or produce counterdrug intelligence; (2) the role of these organizations; (3) federal funding they receive; and (4) the number of personnel that support this function.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that: (1) more than 20 federal or federally funded organizations, spread across 5 cabinet-level departments and 2 cabinet-level organizations, have a principal role in collecting or producing counterdrug intelligence; (2) together, these organizations collect domestic and foreign counterdrug intelligence information using human, electronic, photographic, and other technical means; (3) this information is used by U.S. policymakers to formulate counterdrug policy and by law enforcement agencies to learn about the groups that traffic in drugs and to identify the points at which drug-trafficking operations are the most vulnerable; (4) the amount of federal funds spent on counterdrug intelligence programs and activities and the number of federal personnel assigned to counterdrug intelligence functions are difficult to determine; (5) there is no governmentwide budget or single source from which to obtain this data, including the Office of National Drug Control Policy's National Drug Control Strategy Budget Summary; (6) in addition, it is difficult to determine the spending and personnel for counterdrug intelligence because: (a) most organizations do not have separate budget line items and are not authorized personnel positions specifically for counterdrug intelligence; and (b) some agency functions and personnel serve multiple purposes or support multiple missions; (7) unclassified information reported to GAO by counterdrug intelligence organizations show that over $295 million was spent for counterdrug intelligence activities during fiscal year 1997 and over 1,400 federal personnel were engaged in these activities; and (8) the Departments of Justice, the Treasury, and Defense account for over 90 percent of the money spent and personnel involved.