**U.S. Department of Justice**

*Interagency Law Enforcement*

***FY 2009***

***Interagency Crime and Drug Enforcement***

***Congressional Submission***

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Not to be released outside without prior approval of the OCDETF Director

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# Table of Contents

Page No.

**I.
Overview**...........................................................................4

**II. Summary of Program
Changes**.......................................... ...12

III\. Appropriations Language and Analysis

of Appropriations Language
.................................................14

IV\. Decision Unit Justification
................................................ ....16

A.  Investigations
    ...................................................................16

-   Program Description

B.  Prosecutions
    ..................................................................\...19

-   Program Description

C. Performance, Resources, and Strategies
.....................................21

D. Performance Tables
............................................................30

V. Program Increases by Item

A.  Southwest Border Enforcement Initiative
    ................................36

VI\. Exhibits

A. Organizational Chart

B. Summary of Requirements

C. Program Increases by Decision Unit

D. Resources by DOJ Strategic Goal/Objective

E. Justification for Base Adjustments

F. Crosswalk of 2007 Availability

G. Crosswalk of 2008 Availability

H. Summary of Reimbursable Resources *(Not Applicable)*

I. Detail of Permanent Positions by Category

J. Financial Analysis of Program Increases/Offsets

K. Summary of Requirements by Grade

L. Summary of Requirements by Object Class

M. Status of Congressionally Requested Studies, Reports, and Evaluations
*(Not applicable)*

**Intentionally Left Blank**

# I. OVERVIEW FOR THE ORGANIZED CRIME DRUG ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE (OCDETF) PROGRAM {#i.-overview-for-the-organized-crime-drug-enforcement-task-force-ocdetf-program .unnumbered}

## General Overview

### Budget Summary

The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program
directly supports both Priority III of the *President's National Drug
Control Strategy* and Strategic Goal 2.4 of the Strategic Plan of the
Department of Justice (DOJ). In FY 2009, the OCDETF Program is
requesting a total of 3,632 positions, 3,550 FTE, and \$531,581,000 for
the Interagency Crime and Drug Enforcement (ICDE) Appropriation. This
request represents a program increase of \$9,643,000 over the FY 2009
Current Services Level Request. The total number of positions and FTE
including the number of federal drug agents and prosecutors supported by
this funding is currently under review. The OCDETF Program will undergo
a complete Program review before determining the number of agents and
prosecutors supported by the FY 2008 funding level.

While the OCDETF Program is undergoing a review of its base, it is vital
that we do not lose sight of the critical challenges faced along the
Southwest Border. Thus, the OCDETF FY 2009 request includes an
enhancement to support the overall Administration's Southwest Border
Enforcement Initiative including 56 positions, 28 FTE, and \$9,643,000.

### Introduction

Twenty-five years after its creation, the OCDETF Program continues to
pursue comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional investigations of major drug
trafficking and money laundering organizations. Consistent with the
*President's National Drug Control Strategy*, which seeks to "break" the
drug market by making the drug trade more costly and less profitable,
OCDETF simultaneously attacks all elements of the most significant drug
organizations affecting the United States. These include the
international supply sources, their domestic transportation cells, and
the regional and local distribution networks. At the same time, OCDETF
attacks the money flow that supports the drug trade -- depriving drug
traffickers of their criminal proceeds and the resources needed to
finance future criminal activity. Today, OCDETF combines the resources
and expertise of its seven federal agency members ─ the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA); the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the U.S.
Marshals Service (USMS); the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); the U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); and the U.S. Coast Guard
(USCG) ─ in cooperation with the Department of Justice's Criminal and
Tax Divisions, the 94 U.S. Attorneys' Offices, and state and local law
enforcement, to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the drug trafficking
and money laundering organizations most responsible for the Nation's
supply of illegal drugs.

OCDETF has long recognized that no single law enforcement entity is in a
position to disrupt and dismantle sophisticated drug and money
laundering organizations alone. OCDETF works because it effectively
leverages the investigative and prosecutorial strengths of each
participant to combat drug related organized crime. It promotes
intelligence sharing and intelligence-driven enforcement and strives to
achieve maximum impact through strategic planning and coordination.

The OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the Justice Department's
long-term Strategic Plan (FY 2007 -- FY 2012) for drug enforcement. This
strategy aims to focus limited federal drug resources on reducing the
flow of illicit drugs and drug proceeds by: identifying and targeting
the major trafficking organizations; eliminating the financial
infrastructure of drug organizations by emphasizing financial
investigations and asset forfeiture; redirecting federal drug
enforcement resources to align them with existing and emerging drug
threats; and conducting expanded, nationwide investigations against all
the related parts of the targeted organizations.

The OCDETF Program focuses participants on the mission of attacking
high-level organizations through coordinated, nationwide investigations.
OCDETF coordinates the annual formulation of the Consolidated Priority
Organization Target (CPOT) List, a multi-agency target list of the
"command and control" elements of the most prolific international drug
trafficking and money laundering organizations. The Program also
requires its participants to identify major Regional Priority
Organization Targets (RPOTs) as part of the annual Regional Strategic
Plan process. Program resources are allocated, in part, on the basis of
how successfully Program participants focus their efforts on the CPOTs
and RPOTs and address the most significant and emerging drug threats.
The nature of the OCDETF Program and its focus on the highest priority
targets both nationally and internationally, ensures that limited drug
enforcement resources are utilized for the greatest impact.

This level of funding requires a full program review which could not be
properly completed between passage of the Omnibus Appropriations Act and
finalization of the FY 2009 President's Budget Request. The FTE and
position numbers in this Budget Submission have not been adjusted to
reflect the reduction of OCDETF base funding. We will submit revised
supporting FY 2009 budget tables as soon as our review is completed.

**FY 2009 Program Enhancement Requests**:

OCDETF's request for FY 2009 seeks enhancements for a Southwest Border
Enforcement Initiative that aligns directly with the Department of
Justice priorities to:

-   Dismantle drug trafficking organizations and stop the spread of
    illegal drugs; and

-   Reduce violent crime, especially violence perpetrated with guns or
    by gangs.

Increasingly, the most significant drug threat we face is along our
Southwest Border, which serves as the principal arrival zone for most of
the illegal drugs smuggled into the U.S. OCDETF's FY 2009 Southwest
Border Enforcement Initiative request is aligned with the Department's
efforts to execute the *National Southwest Border Counternarcotics
Strategy and Implementation Plan* (NSBCSIP) (2006) and the *Department
of Justice's FY 2007 -- FY 2012 Strategic Plan --* that is, to be
successful in attacking the Southwest Border threat, law enforcement
must concentrate its efforts in three areas - - intelligence,
investigations and prosecutions.

According to the *Office of National Drug Control Policy's Interagency
Cocaine Movement Assessment (IACM),* the majority of cocaine destined
for the U.S. transits the Mexico/Central America corridor. The IACM
indicates that 90 percent of cocaine destined for the U.S. transited
this corridor (including maritime routes in the Western Caribbean and
Eastern Pacific). This percentage has consistently increased over the
last seven years. Moreover, methamphetamine production has increasingly
shifted to "super labs" operated by Mexican drug trafficking
organizations on both sides of the Southwest Border. DEA estimates that
80 percent of the methamphetamine consumed in the U.S. is coming from
such super labs. Narcotics-related firearms violence and murders are on
the increase in Mexico and along the Southwest Border as firearms are
being smuggled by major trafficking cartels into Mexico. According to
ATF, 76 percent of firearms recovered in Mexico were purchased
originally in the four Border States (California, Arizona, New Mexico
and Texas). At the same time, millions of dollars in drug proceeds
continue to make their way across the Southwest Border into Mexico to
further fuel the drug trade. According to the National Drug Intelligence
Center (NDIC), the total volume of drug proceeds returned to all major
Western Hemisphere drug trafficking organizations is estimated to be
between \$10 billion and \$40 billion annually. It is estimated that
half of this revenue (\$5 -- \$20 billion) travels southbound across our
border with Mexico. Finally, drug trafficking fugitives are continuing
their illegal operations while seeking refuge outside our borders. In
fact, there are currently over 315 open OCDETF warrants with leads to
Mexico. It is with these threats in mind that OCDETF has crafted its FY
2009 request.

**3. PART Statement**

The OCDETF Program will not be reviewed under the Program Assessment
Rating Tool (PART) process, because all of its Department of Justice
member agencies have already participated in the PART review process.

### 4. Issues, Outcomes and Strategies {#issues-outcomes-and-strategies .unnumbered}

OCDETF has undergone a "rebirth" since FY 2002, re-dedicating itself to
its original mission and refocusing its investigative priorities on
complex, multi-jurisdictional investigations of the most significant
drug and money laundering organizations. Since FY 2002, OCDETF's budget
requests have proposed a series of enhancements aimed at strategically
reducing the nation's drug supply and maximizing the Program's
performance. OCDETF continually seeks to balance increased investigative
resources with appropriate prosecutorial resources.

OCDETF's FY 2009 request will enable the Program to disrupt and
dismantle the most significant organizations responsible for narcotics
trafficking and money laundering activities, as well as the associated
violence, along the Southwest Border.

Specifically, OCDETF's FY 2009 request focuses on ensuring that the
OCDETF member agencies will continue to develop intelligence-driven
strategies and initiatives that identify entire drug trafficking
networks, including their financial infrastructure, and launch
coordinated efforts designed to disrupt and dismantle every component of
those networks worldwide.

**[Department of Justice Strategic Goal 2: Prevent Crime, Enforce
Federal Laws, and Represent the Rights and Interests of the American
People]{.underline}**

All of OCDETF's adjustments to base and Program Improvements directly
support the Department of Justice Strategic Objective 2.4: "reduce the
threat, trafficking, use and related violence of illegal drugs."
Providing drug enforcement resources to the OCDETF Program ensures that
those resources will be focused on the highest priority drug trafficking
and money laundering targets, while leveraging the expertise and
existing resources of OCDETF's member agencies from the Departments of
Justice, Homeland Security, and Treasury.

OCDETF is directly charged with carrying out the Department's Drug
Supply Reduction Strategy, and all of its activities are aimed at
achieving a measurable reduction in the availability of drugs in the
U.S. The disruption and dismantlement of drug trafficking networks
operating regionally, nationally and internationally is a critical
component of the supply reduction effort.

In addition, OCDETF's FY 2009 request directly supports Priority III of
the *President's National Drug Control Strategy*: "Disrupting the Market
for Illicit Drugs" by providing additional resources to attack the CPOTs
and "Gatekeeper" organizations responsible for drug smuggling, money
laundering, violence, murder and corruption across the Southwest Border.
OCDETF continues to focus on intelligence-driven counter drug operations
through the OCDETF Fusion Center and the seven OCDETF Strike Forces in
Tampa (Panama Express), New York, Houston, Boston, Atlanta (the David G.
Wilhelm OCDETF Strike Force), Puerto Rico (Caribbean Corridor
Initiative) and San Diego (Major Mexican Trafficking Task Force) and on
denying drug traffickers their profits so they are unable to continue
their operations or provide support to politically motivated terrorist
organizations.

### OCDETF Program Costs

Beginning in FY 2006, OCDETF's request included funding only to
reimburse participating agencies from the Department of Justice. Funding
for OCDETF participation by non-Justice agencies is sought in the budget
requests of their respective Departments.

The Decision Units reflect the OMB-approved structure, which collapses
OCDETF's activities into two Decision Units: Investigations and
Prosecutions. The administrative program support provided by the OCDETF
Executive Office is pro-rated between those two Decision Units, based
upon the percentage of total appropriated ICDE Program funding
attributable to the member agencies within each Decision Unit.

The OCDETF Program is in the process of completing a full program review
to determine the correct balance of personnel costs and operational
costs that will maximize the performance of the Program.

[Investigations Decision Unit]{.underline} -- This decision unit
includes the reimbursable resources that support investigative
activities of the following participating agencies: ATF, DEA, FBI and
USMS. Also included are the reimbursable resources that support the
intelligence activities of OCDETF's member agencies and the OCDETF
Fusion Center. Investigative activities by ICE, IRS and the USCG in
support of the OCDETF Program are funded out of the direct
appropriations of the Departments of Homeland Security and Treasury.

Investigative expenses include: Purchase of Evidence/Payment for
Information (PE/PI); mission-related travel; training; operational
funding; supplies; electronic surveillance costs; and other equipment
costs. Intelligence expenses include: basic and advanced training;
software; workstations; desktop and laptop computers; other equipment
costs; and mission-related travel.

[Prosecutions Decision Unit]{.underline} -- This decision unit includes
the reimbursable prosecution resources situated at the 94 U.S.
Attorneys' Offices around the U.S. (executed through the Executive
Office for U.S. Attorneys) and at the Criminal and Tax Divisions of the
Department of Justice.

Prosecution-related expenses include: case-related travel; training;
printing and reproduction of court documents and court instruments;
filing and recording fees; reporting and transcripts for deposition,
grand jury and court proceedings; litigation support; litigation
graphics; fees for the reproduction of financial records;
stenographic/interpreter services; supplies and materials; and ADP and
other equipment.

### OCDETF Performance Challenges

The following are examples of some of the most significant performance
challenges that OCDETF must confront.

**[*External* *Challenges:*]{.underline}** A number of external factors
could affect the OCDETF Program's ability to achieve its strategic goals
and objectives. These external factors include:

-   **National Priorities**: Law enforcement is required to respond to
    emergency or special situations, including terrorist incidents,
    national disasters, and other similar events. Depending upon the
    nature of the event, the priorities -- and, perhaps, even the
    mission -- of a federal law enforcement agency may be temporarily or
    permanently altered. For example, many of our agents and prosecutors
    are serving tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other areas of
    the world in support of the U.S. Military. In addition, following
    the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, most OCDETF agency
    resources were diverted, at least temporarily, and some participants
    permanently redirected resources to counter-terrorism. Likewise,
    Hurricane Katrina, and the ensuing relief effort, resulted in the
    disruption, and in some cases, the discontinuation, of many
    significant active OCDETF operations.

-   **Local Government**: Changes in the fiscal posture or policies of
    state and local governments can have dramatic effects on the
    capacity of state and local governments to remain effective law
    enforcement partners. In addition, many state and local law
    enforcement officers serve as reservists and are called away for
    military duty. State and local law enforcement participated in
    approximately 90 percent of OCDETF investigations nationwide in FY
    2007.

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-   **Globalization:** Issues of criminal justice increasingly transcend
    national boundaries, requiring the cooperation of foreign
    governments and involving treaty obligations and other foreign
    policy concerns. The nature of the relationships between the U.S.
    and particular foreign governments can dramatically impact law
    enforcement's ability to conduct operations against international
    sources of supply, to freeze and seize foreign assets, to apprehend
    fugitives in foreign countries, and to extradite defendants to stand
    trial in the U.S. For example, there remain ongoing difficulties in
    securing the extradition of major drug traffickers from Canada, and
    the passage of Colombia's Justice and Peace Law may have some impact
    on the U.S.' ability to extradite some defendants from that country.

-   **Technology:** Advances in telecommunications and widespread use of
    the Internet are creating new opportunities for criminals, new
    classes of crimes, and new challenges for law enforcement. These
    technologies enable drug traffickers and money launderers to conduct
    their unlawful activities in ways that impede the effective use of
    traditional electronic surveillance techniques, which otherwise are
    the most powerful means to infiltrate the highest levels of these
    organizations. Use of the Internet also makes it more difficult for
    law enforcement to identify the base of operations of certain
    criminal organizations.

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-   **Social‑Demographic Factors:** The level of drug activity is often
    influenced by societal attitudes toward the use of illegal drugs.
    Recent efforts by some states to promote legalization of drugs,
    including, in particular, marijuana, have complicated federal law
    enforcement efforts.

***[Internal Challenges:]{.underline}*** OCDETF currently faces a number
of internal challenges. These include:

-   **Resources:** The OCDETF Program is in the process of completing a
    full program review to determine the correct balance of personnel
    costs and operational costs that will maximize the performance of
    the Program funded by the FY 2008 Omnibus.

-   **Competing Agency Priorities:** OCDETF is a Program comprised of
    multiple federal agencies from three separate Departments. Each
    Department and member agency has mandated its own priorities for
    carrying out its part of the fight against illegal drugs. OCDETF
    must unite those agencies behind one single mission and ensure
    accountability for Program performance in an environment of
    competing philosophies and funding priorities in three different
    Departments.

-   **Performance Measurement**: While the current performance data
    collected by the OCDETF Executive Office is an effective means of
    evaluating outputs and outcomes at the district and regional levels,
    OCDETF also must have performance metrics that capture the true
    impact of the National Program. Specifically, OCDETF must be
    equipped to demonstrate the effect on drug supply and drug
    availability of disrupting and dismantling international, national
    and regional organizations. OCDETF must similarly develop measures
    that demonstrate the impact of financial investigations and asset
    seizures on unlawful financial activity. In FY 2003, OCDETF
    implemented new reports to collect information regarding a targeted
    organization's capacity to move drugs and money, and OCDETF
    continues to refine its system for measuring program success.

    Measuring Program success is complicated by the fact that drug
    supply reduction is a reflection of a number of factors, including
    drug seizures, eradication efforts, precursor chemical
    interdictions, cash and asset seizures, increased
    border/transportation security, international military operations,
    social and political forces, climatic changes and even natural
    disasters. Program results while not easily measurable, particularly
    over the span of a single year, are possible.

-   **Balance of Direct and OCDETF-Funded Resources**: Experienced
    OCDETF attorneys and agents are needed to investigate and prosecute
    large-scale, sophisticated drug enterprises, operating nationally
    and internationally; however, many OCDETF investigations against
    major supply organizations originate as non-OCDETF drug
    investigations targeting smaller drug networks and violent drug
    offenders. Thus, both direct-funded and OCDETF-funded resources are
    essential for effective drug supply reduction, and appropriate
    staffing levels must be maintained in each category.

-   **Data Collection:** Processes for case tracking, time reporting and
    overtime tracking vary from agency to agency and from region to
    region, resulting in inconsistencies in data and difficulties in
    monitoring compliance with OCDETF policies, procedures and
    guidelines. The different processes also complicate efforts to
    develop and monitor standard performance measures. OCDETF conducts
    regular reviews with its member agencies in an effort to address
    these data issues and to implement corrective measures.

### ![](media/image4.png){width="10.125in" height="6.614583333333333in"} {#section-10 .unnumbered}

**II. Summary of Program Changes**

**FY 2009 Summary of Program Changes**

**Interagency Crime and Drug Enforcement**

(Dollars in thousands)

  -------------- ----------------------------------- ---------- --------- ----------- ----------
  **Item Name    **Description**                                                      **Page**
  (Program                                                                            
  Increases)**                                                                        

                                                     **Pos.**   **FTE**   **Dollars   
                                                                          (\$000)**   

  **Southwest    This request will address           **56**     **28**    **9,643**   **36**
  Border         enforcement activities,                                              
  Enforcement    intelligence coordination and field                                  
  Initiative**   operations along the Southwest                                       
                 Border.                                                              
  -------------- ----------------------------------- ---------- --------- ----------- ----------

**Intentionally Left Blank**

**III. Appropriations Language and Analysis of Appropriations Language**

**Appropriations Language**

**[Justification of Proposed Changes in Appropriations
Language]{.underline}**

**[Interagency Crime and Drug Enforcement]{.underline}**

The 2009 budget estimates include proposed changes in the appropriations
language listed and explained below. New language is italicized and
underlined and language proposed for deletion is bracketed.

**INTERAGENCY CRIME AND DRUG ENFORCEMENT**

For necessary expenses for the identification, investigation, and
prosecution of individuals associated with the most significant drug
trafficking and affiliated money laundering organizations, not otherwise
provided for, to include inter-governmental agreements with State and
Local law enforcement agencies engaged in the investigation and
prosecution of individuals involved in organized crime drug trafficking,
\[\$497,935,000\] [*\$531,581,000*,]{.underline} of which \$50,000,000
shall remain available until expended provided, that any amounts
obligated from these appropriations may be used under authorities
available to the organizations reimbursed from this appropriation.

**Analysis of Appropriations Language**

The FY 2009 President's Budget uses the FY 2008 President's Budget
language and only changes the funding level.

**Intentionally Left Blank**

**IV. Decision Unit Justification**

### A. Investigations  {#a.-investigations .unnumbered}

  ------------------------------------ ----------- --------- ---------------
  **Investigations TOTAL**             **Perm.     **FTE**   **Dollars
                                       Pos.**                \$(000)**

  2007 Enacted                         2,437       2,437     360,813

  2008 Enacted                         2,438       2,438     361,836

  Adjustments to Base                  0           0         12,486

  2009 Current Services                2,438       2,438     374,322

  2009 Program Increases               6           3         4,516

  2009 Request                         2,444       2,441     378,838

  **Total Change 2008-2009**           6           3         17,002
  ------------------------------------ ----------- --------- ---------------

###  {#section-11 .unnumbered}

+------------------------------------+----------+------+--------------+
| **Investigations Information**     | **Perm.  | **F  | **Dollars    |
|                                    | Pos.**   | TE** | \$(000)**    |
| **Technology Breakout (of Decision |          |      |              |
| Unit Total)**                      |          |      |              |
+------------------------------------+----------+------+--------------+
| 2007 Enacted                       | 26       | 26   | 6,456        |
+------------------------------------+----------+------+--------------+
| 2008 Enacted                       | 26       | 26   | 15,219       |
+------------------------------------+----------+------+--------------+
| Adjustments to Base                | 0        | 0    | 466          |
+------------------------------------+----------+------+--------------+
| 2009 Current Services              | 26       | 26   | 15,685       |
+------------------------------------+----------+------+--------------+
| 2009 Program Increases             | 0        | 0    | 500          |
+------------------------------------+----------+------+--------------+
| 2009 Request                       | 26       | 26   | 16,185       |
+------------------------------------+----------+------+--------------+
| **Total Change 2008-2009**         | 0        | 0    | 966          |
+------------------------------------+----------+------+--------------+

###  {#section-12 .unnumbered}

### Program Description

The FY 2009 request for the Investigations Activity is 2,444
reimbursable positions, 2,441 reimbursable workyears, and \$378,838,000.
The number of positions and workyears listed above are based on FY 2007
actuals and will be adjusted upon completion of the OCDETF Program
review being implemented as a result of funding levels provided by the
FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act.

OCDETF investigations cannot be conducted without cooperation among
various agencies. OCDETF investigations require a mix of skills,
experience, and enforcement jurisdiction, which no single agency
possesses. The Program's strength is its ability to draw upon the
combined skills, expertise and techniques of each participating agency
(both within, and outside of, the Department of Justice; the non-Justice
agencies are funded by their Departments). The OCDETF law enforcement
agencies, which provide investigative and intelligence efforts on OCDETF
cases are identified below:

**[Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
(ATF)]{.underline}** agents focus on major drug traffickers who also
have violated laws related to the illegal trafficking and misuse of
firearms and explosives. A significant portion of today's violent crime
is directly associated with the distribution of drugs by sophisticated
organizations. Firearms often serve as a form of payment for drugs and,
together with explosives and arson, are used as tools by drug
organizations for purposes of intimidation, enforcement and retaliation
against their own members, rival organizations, or the community in
general. Thus, ATF's jurisdiction and expertise make it a well-suited
partner in the fight against illegal drugs.

**[Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)]{.underline}** is the agency
most actively involved in the OCDETF Program with an average
participation rate in investigations that has continually exceeded 80
percent. DEA is the only federal agency in OCDETF that has drug
enforcement as its sole responsibility. The agency's vast experience in
this field, its knowledge of international drug rings, its relationship
with foreign law enforcement entities, and its working relationships
with State and local authorities all have made DEA essential to the
OCDETF Program.

**[Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)]{.underline}** brings to OCDETF
its extensive expertise in the investigation of traditional organized
crime, public corruption and white collar/financial crimes. The FBI uses
its skills to gather and analyze intelligence data and undertake
sophisticated electronic surveillance. The FBI reorganized its direct
drug resources following the events of September 11, 2001, but remains
committed to the OCDETF Program and to the goal of targeting major drug
trafficking organizations and their financial infrastructure.

[**Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS**)]{.underline}
agents work to dismantle and disrupt major drug-related money laundering
organizations by applying their unique financial skills to investigate
all aspects of the organization's illegal activities. The IRS uses the
tax code, money laundering statutes, and asset seizure/forfeiture laws
to thoroughly investigate the financial operations of targeted
organizations. Given the OCDETF Program's concentration on identifying
and destroying the financial systems that support the drug trade, and on
seizing the assets and profits of major criminal organizations, IRS is a
vital participant in the Program.

**[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)]{.underline}** agents
contribute valuable financial and drug investigative expertise and
intelligence to the OCDETF Program as a direct result of the agency's
responsibility for identifying and dismantling vulnerabilities regarding
the Nation's border. The vast majority of drugs sold in this country are
not produced domestically; the drugs themselves, or their essential
precursor chemicals, are smuggled across one of the borders and
transported for distribution throughout the country. ICE agents have a
wide array of Customs and Immigration authorities at their disposal to
support the Program, whether it be targeting high-risk vessels,
containers, vehicles or persons for inspection or utilizing their
immigration expertise to ensure the arrest and prosecution of
significant alien targets. In addition, ICE personnel are an invaluable
asset in regional, national and international money laundering
investigations due to their financial investigative expertise.

**[United States Coast Guard (USCG]{.underline})** is primarily focused
on drug interdiction and has found itself in a unique position to
support the work of OCDETF. The USCG is the maritime expert for OCDETF,
particularly in the coastal OCDETF Regions, and provides valuable
intelligence and guidance on cases with maritime connections. USCG
personnel also serve as liaisons with the military services and the
National Narcotics Border Interdiction System. USCG currently has no
permanently funded OCDETF positions.

**[United States Marshals Service (USMS)]{.underline}** is the
specialist responsible for the apprehension of OCDETF fugitives.
Fugitives are typically repeat offenders who flee apprehension only to
continue their criminal enterprises elsewhere. Their arrest by the USMS
immediately makes the community in which they were hiding and operating
a safer place to live. Currently, there are over 7,200 OCDETF fugitives
nationwide. The USMS also has responsibility for the pre-seizure
investigation of assets in complex cases. The USMS has entered into a
formal commitment with the U.S. Attorneys' Offices to ensure that all
cases involving real property, ongoing businesses, out-of-district
assets, and anything that is perishable will receive a detailed and
timely pre-seizure planning investigation by the USMS.

Other investigative and intelligence resources that support the OCDETF
Program are identified below:

**[OCDETF Fusion Center (OFC)]{.underline},** the cornerstone of
OCDETF's intelligence efforts, which is funded through the ICDE account
and overseen by the OCDETF Director, was created to enhance OCDETF's
overall capacity to engage in intelligence-driven law enforcement, an
essential component of the OCDETF Program. The OFC, which commenced
operations during FY 2006, is a comprehensive data center containing all
drug and related financial intelligence information from six
OCDETF-member investigative agencies, and the Financial Crimes
Enforcement Network, as well as relevant data from other agencies. The
OFC is designed to conduct cross-agency integration and analysis of drug
and related financial data, to create comprehensive intelligence
pictures of targeted organizations, including those identified as
Consolidated Priority Organization Targets (CPOTs) and Regional Priority
Organization Targets (RPOTs), and to pass actionable leads through the
multi-agency Special Operations Division (SOD) to OCDETF participants in
the field, including the OCDETF Co-located Tasks Forces. These leads
ultimately result in the development of better-coordinated, more
comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional OCDETF investigations of the most
significant drug trafficking and money laundering networks.

**[OCDETF Co-located Strike Forces]{.underline}** have been established
in New York, Houston, Boston, Atlanta (David G. Wilhelm OCDETF Strike
Force), Tampa (Panama Express), Puerto Rico (Caribbean Corridor
Initiative), and San Diego (Major Mexican Trafficking Task Force). These
Co-located Strike Forces are designed to serve a dual purpose: they
aggressively target the highest-level trafficking organizations and they
also function as a central point of contact for OCDETF agents and
prosecutors nationwide, gathering intelligence and disseminating
investigative leads throughout the neighboring areas. These task forces
also respond to leads generated by the OCDETF Fusion Center. The OCDETF
Co-located Strike Forces bring a synergy to drug trafficking
investigations by literally combining, side-by-side, the resources and
expertise of all of OCDETF=s participating investigative agencies,
including state and local law enforcement officers and prosecutors. By
coordinating their efforts, the participants in these Co-located Strike
Forces eliminate superfluous effort and save valuable resources.

**[State and Local law enforcement]{.underline}** agencies participate
in approximately 90 percent of all OCDETF investigations. State and
local participation significantly expands OCDETF's available resource
base and broadens the choice of venue for prosecution. Annually, OCDETF
receives assistance from over 700 state and local departments
nationwide. Currently, OCDETF reimburses State and local agencies for
their overtime, travel, and per diem expenses with funds allocated by
the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund.

**B. Prosecutions**

  ------------------------------------ ----------- --------- ---------------
  **Prosecutions TOTAL**               **Perm.     **FTE**   **Dollars
                                       Pos.**                \$(000)**

  2007 Enacted                         1,138       1,084     137,122

  2008 Enacted                         1,138       1,084     136,099

  Adjustments to Base                  0           0         11,517

  2009 Current Services                1,138       1,084     147,616

  2009 Program Increases               50          25        5,127

  2009 Request                         1,188       1,109     152,743

  **Total Change 2008-2009**           50          25        16,644
  ------------------------------------ ----------- --------- ---------------

###  {#section-13 .unnumbered}

### 1. Program Description {#program-description-1 .unnumbered}

The FY 2009 request for the Prosecution Activity is 1,188 positions,
1,109 workyears, and \$152,743,000. The number of positions and
workyears listed above are based on FY 2007 actuals and will be adjusted
upon completion of the OCDETF Program review being implemented as a
result of funding levels provided by the FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations
Act. The agencies which provide investigative support and prosecutorial
efforts on OCDETF cases are identified below:

**[The United States Attorneys' Offices]{.underline}** are key to nearly
every successful OCDETF investigation and prosecution. OCDETF
prosecutors participate in the development of the investigative strategy
and provide the necessary legal services and counsel that investigators
require. Attorney involvement early in the investigation ensures that
prosecutions are well-prepared, comprehensively charged, and expertly
handled. OCDETF prosecutors are not expected to rush cases to completion
but rather to move cases deliberately toward successful and
comprehensive conclusions. While OCDETF attorneys generally carry a
smaller caseload than their non-OCDETF counterparts, the cases typically
are more complex and longer term.

**[The Criminal Division's Office of Enforcement Operations
(OEO)]{.underline}** offers direct operational support to U.S.
Attorneys' Offices by reviewing all applications for electronic
surveillance and by providing guidance to agents and prosecutors on the
justification for and development of such applications. Prompt, thorough
processing of time-sensitive Title III applications is crucial to the
success of OCDETF's coordinated, nationwide investigations, of which
approximately 48 percent use wiretaps.

**[The Criminal Division's Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS)
and Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section (AFMLS)]{.underline}**
also provide assistance to and/or participate directly in OCDETF
prosecutions. In March 2007, OCDETF re-issued its Program Guidelines to
allow the Criminal Division to designate cases that it is prosecuting,
specifically international investigations, as OCDETF. Prior to this
revision, an OCDETF investigation had to be initiated through a U.S.
Attorneys' Office. With the increasing complexity and scope of OCDETF
cases, Criminal Division attorneys also are called upon with greater
frequency to provide expert advice to U.S. Attorneys' Offices in OCDETF
cases.

In particular, NDDS attorneys play a critical role in supporting and
coordinating nationwide investigations through their work with the
Special Operations Division. In addition, in FY 2003, OCDETF obtained
funding to support a squad of NDDS attorneys who are available to be
dispatched to U.S. Attorneys' Offices across the country to assist in
drafting wiretap applications and managing wiretap investigations.

With OCDETF's focus on pursuing financial investigations in every OCDETF
case, AFMLS attorneys provide critical guidance to the field for the
development of those investigations. AFMLS attorneys are skilled in the
application of money laundering and other financial statutes to specific
types of sophisticated criminal activity, and they are particularly
knowledgeable about the means to identify, freeze, seize and repatriate
assets from foreign jurisdictions. In addition, AFMLS administers
OCDETF's nationwide financial training program. Since FY 2004, AFMLS
personnel have conducted training conferences in approximately 50 cities
nationwide, training nearly 4,000 agents, analysts and prosecutors from
20 federal and 40 state and local participating agencies on financial
investigative techniques. A modified course has been presented in
Argentina and Bangkok for agents located overseas. In addition, NDDS and
AFMLS are responsible for providing legal support to the OCDETF Fusion
Center.

**[The Criminal Division's Office of International Affairs
(OIA)]{.underline}** has become increasingly involved in OCDETF
investigations. With OCDETF's particular focus on targeting and
dismantling international "command and control" organizations and other
international sources of supply, OIA is called upon with greater
frequency to handle requests under Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties,
provisional arrest warrants, and extraditions arising out of OCDETF
investigations.

**[The Tax Division]{.underline}** provides nationwide review and
coordination of all tax charges in OCDETF cases as well as assistance in
other OCDETF financial investigations. Tax Division attorneys
communicate frequently with regional OCDETF Coordinators to remain aware
of new developments in the field, and they maintain a clearinghouse of
legal and investigative materials and information available to OCDETF
personnel.

###  {#section-14 .unnumbered}

###  {#section-15 .unnumbered}

###  {#section-16 .unnumbered}

###  {#section-17 .unnumbered}

###  {#section-18 .unnumbered}

###  {#section-19 .unnumbered}

###  {#section-20 .unnumbered}

###  {#section-21 .unnumbered}

###  {#section-22 .unnumbered}

### C. PERFORMANCE, RESOURCES, AND STRATEGIES {#c.-performance-resources-and-strategies .unnumbered}

#### 1. Performance Plan and Report for Outcomes {#performance-plan-and-report-for-outcomes .unnumbered}

The goal of the Department of Justice's Drug Strategy is to reduce the
drug supply in the U.S. by disrupting and dismantling the most
significant drug trafficking organizations and their related money
laundering operations. The OCDETF Program, with its multi-agency
partnerships and its focus on coordinated, multi-jurisdictional
investigations against entire drug networks, is the driving force behind
the supply reduction strategy.

OCDETF Performance Indicators

OCDETF continues to vigorously pursue the goals laid out in the
Department's Drug Strategy by targeting major drug trafficking
organizations in their entirety. OCDETF also remains committed to
maintaining accountability for its resources, and the results of that
commitment are evident in the following key performance areas:

[Steady Increases in New Investigations]{.underline}

In FY 2002, OCDETF revised its Program Guidelines to focus Program
resources on coordinated, nationwide investigations of major drug
trafficking and money laundering organizations. As a result, OCDETF
experienced a sharp decline in the number of new investigations
initiated under the Program. This was expected, as the OCDETF Program
focused on the quality, rather than the quantity, of investigations. In
FY 2003, OCDETF experienced a steady increase in case initiations.
During FY 2007, OCDETF continued its efforts to expand investigations to
attack all levels of the supply chain regionally, nationally and
internationally. OCDETF participants initiated 1,016 investigations in
FY 2007, a nearly 45 percent increase over the 704 investigations
initiated in FY 2003. For FY 2008 and FY 2009, OCDETF will revise its
predictions based upon a comprehensive Program review de to the funding
provided by the FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act. OCDETF will try to
mitigate the impact of reductions through its' Program review.

The past increases were achieved without any sacrifice in the caliber or
quality of the cases being pursued. OCDETF district and regional
coordination groups working diligently to ensure that only those
investigations that meet the standards established for OCDETF cases are
approved and that the quality of these new investigations clearly
reflect OCDETF's commitment to pursue the most significant drug
trafficking and money laundering organizations. The investigations are
broader in scope and employ more complex investigative techniques,
including Financial Investigator techniques; an increasing percentage of
cases target international "command and control" organizations as well
as regional priority targets; and a greater percentage of cases result
in the seizure and forfeiture of assets.

Most of the organizations targeted by OCDETF investigations are
"poly-drug." Historically, approximately 73 percent of OCDETF
investigations have targeted organizations trafficking in cocaine, 42
percent of investigations have involved marijuana, 23 percent have
involved heroin, and 18 percent have involved methamphetamine. However,
due to tighter controls on the domestic availability of methamphetamine
precursor chemicals, such as pseudoephedrine, the U.S. has experienced a
shift in the methamphetamine source of supply from domestic clandestine
labs to major Mexican trafficking organizations. As a result, OCDETF is
much better situated to play a leading role in the fight against
methamphetamine, and, in fact, OCDETF has already experienced a
substantial increase in the number of OCDETF investigations targeting
organizations involved in methamphetamine. Between FY 2003 and FY 2007,
OCDETF experienced a 35 percent increase in the number of investigations
initiated involving methamphetamine. The most dramatic increases in
OCDETF methamphetamine cases are in the Pacific, West Central and
Southwest OCDETF Regions.

Investigations against Consolidated Priority Organization Targets
(CPOTs) and Regional Priority Organization Targets (RPOTs)

The goal of every OCDETF case is to continually work up and across the
supply chain to make connections among related organizations nationwide.
In particular, OCDETF participants strive to identify links to regional
priority targets, whose drug trafficking activities have a significant
impact on the particular drug threats facing each of the OCDETF Regions,
and, ultimately, to one of the international "command and control"
networks identified as a CPOT.

OCDETF's commitment to pursuing priority targets is evident from the
steady increase in the percentage of cases linked to these targets.
During FY 2007, 10 percent of OCDETF's active investigations ─ or 414
cases ─ were linked to a CPOT, and 17 percent ─ or 695 cases ─ were
linked to RPOTs. An additional 4 percent of active investigations ─ or
166 cases ─ were linked to both CPOTs and RPOTs. Thirty-one percent of
the active CPOT-linked investigations are out of the Southwest Region.

OCDETF data also demonstrates that OCDETF participants are pursuing
these investigations to successful conclusions. Between 2003 and 2007,
OCDETF dismantled 29 CPOT organizations and severely disrupted the
operations of another 13. In addition, during FY 2003 through FY 2007,
OCDETF disrupted or dismantled a total of 877 CPOT-linked organizations
\-- organizations working with or otherwise associated with a CPOT.
OCDETF projects that it will disrupt or dismantle 250 CPOT-linked
organizations during FY 2008.

OCDETF continues to be vigilant in auditing the quality of its data
collection in this important performance area. OCDETF ensures that a
thorough review of all cases reported to be linked to CPOTs is conducted
to determine the validity of each link, and has implemented controls to
ensure that all links are properly supported.

Success in Financial Investigations

In order to have a significant impact on the financial systems that
support the drug trade, OCDETF must be steadfast in charging and
convicting those who conduct or facilitate illicit financial activity,
and in seizing and forfeiting their assets.

Ninety-seven percent of OCDETF investigations initiated in FY 2007 have
an active financial component, compared to 71 percent of investigations
initiated in FY 2003. These figures represent an all-time high and
demonstrate that OCDETF participants have been mandated to pursue
financial investigations as an integral part of each drug investigation.

As a result of this focus, OCDETF is increasingly successful in seizing
and forfeiting drug-related assets. A growing percentage of
investigations are resulting in the seizure of assets and in charges
calling for the forfeiture of assets and proceeds. The percentage of
OCDETF investigations resulting in assets forfeited or restrained grew
from just 66 percent in FY 2003, to more than 80 percent in FY 2007,
while 25 percent of indictments contained forfeiture counts in FY 2007,
compared to only 18 percent of indictments returned in FY 2003. In FY
2007, OCDETF seized approximately \$362 million -- a 19 percent increase
over the \$303 million seized in FY 2006. Moreover, OCDETF forfeitures
amounted to more than \$545 million in FY 2007, a 28 percent increase
over the nearly \$427 million forfeited in FY 2006. OCDETF's forfeitures
in the Department of Justice Consolidated Asset Tracking System (CATS)
now total more than \$2 Billion from FY 2003 through FY 2007, or 34
percent of the total cash and property forfeitures reported in all of
CATS.

In FY 2007, approximately 11 percent of all OCDETF defendants were
charged with financial violations, up from 10 percent in FY 2003. There
is a similar trend in the percent of investigations that resulted in
defendants convicted of financial violations, up from 19 percent in FY
2003 to 27 percent in FY 2007. As the number of primary money laundering
investigations grows, and as the FY 2005 and FY 2006 investigations
continue to mature, OCDETF expects to experience even greater increases
in these statistics.

Although OCDETF has had many successes in the financial arena, there is
still a long way to go. Despite increasing numbers, participating
agencies have only seized or forfeited a fraction of the estimated
illicit narcotics proceeds that attract traffickers to the drug trade in
the first place. In FY 2007, OCDETF began addressing a lack of financial
investigators by establishing the Financial Investigator Contractors
(FIC) Program. The FIC Program consists of a team of three to five FICs
in each of the nine OCDETF Regions (with two such squads allocated to
the Southwest Region). These investigators are assigned to DEA\'s
Financial Investigation Teams (FITs) and are available to support OCDETF
investigations in need of financial expertise. The majority of this
Program is being funded out of the Assets Forfeiture Fund (AFF). In
addition, OCDETF continues to conduct its financial training program for
agents, analysts and prosecutors nationwide. To date, the OCDETF
financial training has been attended by nearly 4,000 agents, analysts
and prosecutors. Finally, the financial section of the OCDETF Fusion
Center generates leads that enable program participants to make even
greater headway against the financial components of sophisticated
trafficking organizations.

[Targeting Leadership-Level Defendants]{.underline}

OCDETF continues to focus on the targeting of leadership-level
defendants in its investigations. In FY 2007, more than 34 percent of
its investigative targets were leaders of their organizations. This is
four times the percentage identified in FY 2002 investigations. By
focusing on leadership-level targets, OCDETF is more likely to have a
lasting impact against significant organizations and their operations.

Broadening the Scope of OCDETF Investigations

![](media/image8.wmf)One of the primary goals of the OCDETF Program is
the development of multi-jurisdictional investigations that
simultaneously target and attack the geographically-dispersed components
of major trafficking networks. It is only by attacking these networks in
their entirety that OCDETF can make a lasting impact on drug trafficking
activity and drug supply.

For FY 2007, 84 percent of all active OCDETF investigations were
multi-jurisdictional \-- that is, the investigations were multi-state,
multi-regional or international in scope. This represents a dramatic
increase over the 19 percent of investigations in this category in March
2003. Moreover, since FY 2003, the percent of investigations that are
international in scope has increased from 29 percent to 42 percent.

[Emphasizing Nationwide Coordination of OCDETF
Investigations]{.underline}

Historically, many of the nationally-coordinated investigations handled
by the Special Operations Division (SOD) have been OCDETF
investigations. SOD operations exemplify the best efforts to
simultaneously attack all related components of sophisticated drug
trafficking and money laundering networks, thereby more effectively
disrupting their illegal activities. For this reason, OCDETF strives to
increase nationwide coordination of, and SOD participation in, OCDETF
cases. Over 35 percent of OCDETF's active investigative caseload
involves SOD coordination. Moreover, the number of FY 2007 OCDETF
investigation initiations involving SOD coordination is 31 percent
greater than the number of FY 2003 initiations. By acting upon the leads
generated by the Fusion Center, and feeding information through SOD,
OCDETF expects to steadily increase the percentage of SOD-coordinated
investigations.

[Leveraging OCDETF Co-located Strike Forces]{.underline}

OCDETF believes that the greatest opportunity for success in achieving
Program goals is through the OCDETF Co-located Strike Forces. For
example, the New York Strike Force, which is composed of 175 federal,
state and local law enforcement officers arranged in 15 integrated
enforcement groups, is strategically targeting CPOTs. This initiative
recently struck a major blow against the Rodriguez-Orejuela
organization---a former CPOT and significant leaders of the Cali Cartel.
During the investigation, intelligence sharing between DEA, ICE and IRS
agents, sitting side-by-side at the Strike Force, enabled these agencies
to expose a complex money laundering scheme. In combination with an
investigation and prosecution in Miami, the Rodrigez-Orejuela
organization was dismantled, its leaders arrested and indicted, over 100
bank accounts were identified, and a Colombian pharmacy chain used by
the organization was seized and forfeited. In another significant
indictment, unsealed in March 2006, the New York Strike Force charged 50
members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) with
conspiracy charges related to narcotics trafficking and money
laundering. By targeting CPOTs such as the Rodriguez-Orejuelas and
members of the FARC, the New York Strike Force is having a significant
impact on the drug supply in the U.S.

Panama Express (PANEX) in Tampa, designated as an OCDETF Co-located Task
Force in early FY 2007, is the premier multi-agency interdiction
operation implementing the Florida Caribbean Region's strategic
initiative for targeting maritime narcotics transportation. Through
PANEX, OCDETF is working to disrupt and dismantle the entire drug supply
chain of CPOT-level organizations by attacking the importation of
cocaine and heroin into the U.S. from Colombia via maritime vessels. The
key to its success has been prompt analysis of intelligence, allowing
law enforcement to proactively pursue priority targets and work towards
identifying those responsible for the importation of the drugs and those
individuals who are the distributors within the U.S. Since January of FY
2000, PANEX has removed over 714 tons of cocaine (valued at \$10.71
billion) from the high seas, much of which was destined for the U.S. The
Task Force has been responsible for charging approximately 1,484
defendants. During FY 2007, PANEX made 28 seizures, seized or destroyed
107.45 tons of cocaine, charged 114 defendants in the Middle District of
Florida, and turned 42 defendants over to foreign sovereigns. In
addition, during this time period PANEX has charged 41 "second tier"
defendants in ten indictments.

#### Strategies to Accomplish Outcomes/FY 2009 Budget Request Relationship to Strategies

Enhancing OCDETF's Coordinated Pursuit of Entire Organizations

In order to enhance the OCDETF Program's ability to reduce the drug
supply and thereby reduce the availability of drugs to our citizens,
OCDETF has focused its resources on coordinated, nationwide
investigations targeting the entire infrastructure of major drug
trafficking organizations. These organizations are extremely complex.
Their members traffic in narcotics, launder illicit proceeds, arm
themselves with and traffic in firearms, continue their criminal
activities as fugitives, and participate in terrorist activities. The FY
2009 request provides resources to enhance OCDETF's impact against these
significant organizations. In order to truly disrupt and dismantle these
criminal enterprises in their entirety, it is critical that OCDETF
pursue these organizations at each and every level. This is precisely
why the OCDETF Program was established -- to combine the resources and
expertise of its member agencies, and to exploit their unique
investigative capabilities and authorities to achieve the greatest
impact from drug law enforcement efforts. Attacking these high-level
organizations in their entirety requires the active and coordinated
participation of all the OCDETF member agencies, with sufficient
resources to support all phases of OCDETF investigations. It also
requires that OCDETF member agencies think strategically about ways in
which law enforcement may effectively exploit the vulnerabilities of
these organizations.

OCDETF's Southwest Border enhancement request of 56 positions, 28 FTE
and \$9.6 million will support efforts to attack CPOTs and the
Gatekeepers from every angle. By fully identifying all the elements of
significant organizations operating across the border, taking their
money, and their freedom, the OCDETF Program will have a greater impact
on the supply of illicit narcotics entering the country and the violence
associated with drug trafficking activity.

[Focusing on Intelligence-driven, Strategic Enforcement]{.underline}

OCDETF is determined to attack the infrastructure of major drug
trafficking organizations at their most vulnerable points. The most
effective method for accomplishing this is through carefully planned and
comprehensive strategic initiatives pursued by the OCDETF Regions and
the Co-located Strike Forces. These initiatives are designed to
undertake high-level investigations of major drug and money laundering
targets, including those listed on the CPOT List. When prosecutors and
law enforcement personnel work side-by-side in the same location, and
when a strategic action plan is developed to attack the organizations
most responsible for a specific drug threat, OCDETF is much more likely
to strike a lasting blow against these major criminal enterprises.

OCDETF focuses on enhancing the capacity of its participants to
undertake intelligence-driven, strategic enforcement initiatives. The
OCDETF Fusion Center was established to integrate and analyze drug
investigative data and related financial data with the goal of providing
law enforcement with the complete intelligence picture of the major
international and domestic trafficking organizations. Leads generated
from the Fusion Center direct law enforcement efforts, especially those
resources located at the OCDETF Co-located Strike Forces, against those
organizations and their related components nationwide. Such activities
are conducted in a manner that will most effectively disrupt the
operations of the major trafficking organizations and will result in
their ultimate destruction. The Co-located Strike Forces, including
Panama Express in Tampa, the New York Strike Force, the Houston Strike
Force, the Major Mexican Trafficking Task Force in San Diego, the
Caribbean Corridor Initiative in Puerto Rico, the Atlanta Strike Force
(David G. Wilhelm OCDETF Strike Force), and the Boston Strike Force are
in unique positions to take advantage of Fusion Center leads.

The Program's FY 2009 enhancement request supports OCDETF's
intelligence-driven and strategic enforcement efforts by providing
resources for intelligence sharing, investigative activities
(specifically OCDETF fugitive apprehension), and prosecutorial
activities.

Using the CPOT and RPOT Lists

The CPOT List identifies international "command and control" drug
traffickers and money launderers, while the RPOT Lists identify those
organizations whose drug trafficking and money laundering activities
have a significant impact in a particular OCDETF Region. The CPOT and
RPOT Lists are important management tools for the OCDETF Program. These
lists enable the OCDETF Regions and districts to focus enforcement
efforts on specific targets that are believed to be primarily
responsible for the national and regional drug supply, and to coordinate
related nationwide investigations against the CPOT and RPOT
organizations. It is through the disruption and dismantlement of these
major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations that OCDETF
will have its greatest impact on the overall drug supply.

The FY 2009 request will greatly enhance OCDETF's ability to disrupt and
dismantle these significant drug and money laundering organizations. The
Southwest Border Initiative will boost OCDETF's ability to attack the
"Gatekeepers," or those organizations that control the flow of drugs and
drug-related currency for the Mexican drug cartels and CPOTs along the
Southwest Border. OCDETF will be in a better position to: identify
smuggling routes and patterns; indict and prosecute high-level
traffickers; and coordinate fugitive apprehension efforts to ensure
organization members are brought to justice.

Permanently Disabling Drug Organizations through Fugitive Apprehension

Simply indicting high-level drug traffickers and money launderers is not
enough to ensure the success of the OCDETF Program. In order to
permanently disable drug trafficking enterprises, organization members
must be brought to justice, and their illegally-obtained assets must be
seized and forfeited; otherwise, these traffickers continue to operate
their illegal enterprises indefinitely.

OCDETF defendants and fugitives are highly mobile, and they typically
have extensive resources and an extended network of associates to assist
them in avoiding arrest. Consequently, the longer they remain at large,
the more difficult they become to apprehend and prosecute. The
enhancement provides additional U.S. Marshals support to the Southwest
Border and in Mexico, while providing focused resources to fund Special
OCDETF Reaction Teams that conduct intensive and short-term round-ups of
fugitives on both sides of the border.

[Reducing Southwest Border Violence by Targeting Drug Trafficking
Organizations that Engage in Illegal Firearms Trafficking and Their
Suppliers]{.underline}

Recent arrests of high level Mexican drug traffickers have resulted in a
significant increase in violence along the Southwest Border as rival
drug trafficking organizations engage in turf wars. These battles are
fueled by firearms smuggled across the border from the U.S. The ATF
estimates that 76 percent of all firearms recovered in Mexico were
purchased originally in border states. Through the OCDETF Southwest
Region's Gatekeeper Initiative, the OCDETF Program is identifying and
attacking the organizations that purchase and supply illegal firearms to
these drug traffickers. Targeting the Gatekeepers is critical because in
addition to controlling the flow of drugs and illicit proceeds across
the Southwest Border, Gatekeepers often control the purchase, shipment,
and distribution of firearms to drug trafficking organizations.
Leveraging ATF's authority and expertise improves the ability of OCDETF
member agencies, working together at the Houston and San Diego Strike
Forces, to identify those responsible for supplying firearms to Mexican
drug traffickers.

Increasing OCDETF Performance and Accountability

OCDETF is committed to holding its participants accountable for
achieving the overall mission and goals of the Program ─ that is,
reducing the Nation's drug supply through the disruption and
dismantlement of significant drug and money laundering organizations.
Since May 2003, the OCDETF Executive Office has distributed more
comprehensive quarterly and monthly performance indicator reports to all
U.S. Attorneys, OCDETF Lead Task Force Attorneys, and agency managers.
These reports have become an essential management tool for field Program
managers. The reports track key OCDETF performance indicator data and
reporting compliance rates for each judicial district. The OCDETF
Director uses this information to conduct annual district and agency
performance reviews, to identify staffing deficits and allocate new
resources, and to identify areas for program improvement.

These performance indicator reports also drive OCDETF's budget requests
and enable OCDETF to tie more effectively resource requests to Program
accomplishments.

[Results of Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) Reviews]{.underline}

The OCDETF Program will not be reviewed under the Program Assessment
Rating Tool (PART) process, because all of its Department of Justice
member agencies have participated in the PART review process.

**Intentionally Left Blank**

![](media/image9.wmf){width="10.11736111111111in"
height="3.509027777777778in"}

Note: While participation by non-justice components is no longer funded
through the Justice Appropriation, performance targets are calculated
taking into account expected resources dedicated to OCDETF by the
non-Justice components. Targets have been adjusted downward where
appropriate to reflect greater complexity of cases and reduced
resources.

1/ The Department\'s Drug Enforcement Task force strategy called on
federal law enforcement agencies to collaboratively develop a unified
national list of drug organization targets. This list has become known
as the Consolidated Priority Organization Targets (CPOT) List. There
were 50 CPOT targets in FY 2007. Targets on this list includes heads of
narcotic and/or money laundering organizations, poly-drug traffickers,
clandestine manufacturers and producers and major drug transporters, all
of whom are believed to be primarily responsible for the domestic drug
supply.

2/ OCDETF did not meet its ambitious FY 2007 targets with respect to
CPOT-linked organizations. It is difficult to accurately predict how
many active cases, convictions of CPOT linked defendants and disruptions
and dismantlements of CPOT-linked organizations will occur in a given
fiscal year because these statistics can be inherently volatile from
year to year. While OCDETF did not meet its expected targets in FY 2007,
it still achieved significant results against these CPOT-linked
organizations and the CPOTs themselves. In fact, the FY 2007 CPOT-linked
dismantlements are more than double the number achieved in FY 2004, and
historically unprecedented successes were recorded in FY2007 against the
leaders of some of the world's most powerful drug-trafficking
organizations, including the Gulf Cartel, the Tijuana Cartel, and the
Norte Valle Cartel. OCDETF continues to review its performance for these
measures and attributes the lower than estimated performance to evolving
changes in the CPOT List. The 50 targets on the FY 2007 CPOT List
represent a much different group of organizations than was first placed
on the list in FY 2003. When the CPOT List was first established, it
contained many organizations that had been known to law enforcement for
decades. Investigations of these organizations were already quite
mature, and, as a result, 522 CPOT-links had already been identified at
the time the CPOT list was initially promulgated. As a result of
investigative and prosecutorial successes, only 18 of the original 53
targets remain on the FY 2007 CPOT List. The FY 2007 CPOT List consists
largely of targets that have been more recently identified by law
enforcement. With respect to these newer CPOTS, it has taken longer to
identify subsidiary organizations linked to the CPOT itself. Although
the CPOT linked performance is lower than estimated, law enforcement
efforts are having a profound impact as evidenced by a record of cash
forfeitures, and the fact that cocaine prices have increased while
available domestic supplies have decreased.

3/ OCDETF regions are required to develop and maintain a list of
Regional Priority Organization Targets (RPOT)- that is, those
individuals and organizations whose drug trafficking and/or money
laundering activities have a significant impact in the region. The RPOT
Lists, similar to the CPOT List enable the OCDETF regions and districts
to focus enforcement efforts on specific targets believed to be
primarily responsible for the regional drug threat.

4/ The percentage of active OCDETF investigations targeting primary drug
money laundering organizations is slightly lower than estimated. The
difference between the target and the actual percentage achieved is
marginal and OCDETF continues to exhibit high performance with respect
to this performance indicator. Additionally, 66% of OCDETF\'s active
caseload targets organizations that utilize sophisticated money
laundering techniques though money laundering is not the primary
activity.

5/ Complex investigative techniques include the use of investigative
grand jury, wiretaps, and/or requests through Mutual Legal Assistance
Treaties.

![](media/image10.wmf)

6/ OCDETF exceeded its estimate for number of convicted defendants
linked to RPOT, however, the percentage of convicted defendants
connected to RPOT is slightly lower than estimated. Although the
percentage target was slightly lower than estimated, significant
progress was made in accomplishing the goal of this measure.

7/ The target accounts for the performance of all OCDETF agencies,
including non-DOJ federal/state/local law enforcement. OCDETF has
revised its process to capture data from all participants in a timelier
manner. However, forfeiture proceedings take a long time, often creating
a lag in reporting for this measure. OCDETF\'s reporting is often closed
before forfeiture data can be reported.

![](media/image11.wmf)\*\*\* Data based on information reported in
OCDETF Final Reports. Due to the lag in reporting, activity may have
occurred in the prior year.

8/ The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), in consultation
with the Department, continues to develop baseline estimates for the
United States illegal drug supply. Baseline supply estimates were
prepared for heroin, marijuana, and cocaine; however, the Department
concluded that initial supply estimates were based on methodologies that
did not yield sufficiently precise figures to form the reliable
methodologies necessary for calculating baselines. Additionally, neither
baseline data nor a reliable methodology has been established with
respect to methamphetamine. The ONDCP continues to work on developing
reliable estimates with respect to these drugs.

**Data Valuation and Verification Issues**

**Data Collection:**

The OCDETF Program currently collects/collates data from OCDETF agents
and attorneys working on investigations within each district through the
use of five OCDETF forms: (1) the Investigation Initiation Form, which
is used to provide information as a basis to obtain approval for each
investigation; (2) the Indictment/Information Form, which is used to
record each indictment returned in OCDETF cases; (3) the Disposition and
Sentencing Report, which is used to record all charges in OCDETF cases
and to record final resolution of those charges; (4) the OCDETF Interim
Report, which is to be filed every six months while an OCDETF case is
open and active, and which is used to update the status of the
investigation and all case information; (5) and the OCDETF Final Report,
which provides information at the end of a case and is used to measure
both the extent to which a targeted organization was disrupted or
dismantled and the overall impact of the investigation. All report
information is input into the OCDETF Management Information System (MIS)

**Data Validation:**

Data submitted on OCDETF forms and reports is verified by the OCDETF
District Coordination Group, the OCDETF Regional Coordination Group, and
the OCDETF Executive Office.

Data is reviewed periodically, monthly and annually to ensure that data
is accurate and reliable. Additional data reviews are conducted as
necessary on an ongoing basis. Examples include the CPOT validation
project, which confirmed all justifications for claiming a CPOT-link,
and the review of primary money laundering organization data to ensure
that proper criteria was being followed when identifying primary money
laundering organizations.

OCDETF cross-checks its data with data collected by other entities,
including: the Executive Office for United States Attorneys which
collects data on indictments, convictions and sentences; the
Consolidated Asset Tracking System (CATS), which captures data on seized
and forfeited assets, and DEA\'s PTARRS database, which contains
information regarding DEA\'s CPOT-linked and RPOT-linked organizations
and investigations.

  ------------------ -------------------------- ------------ ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
  **MEASURE TABLE**                                                                                                                                                          

  **Decision Unit                                                                                                                                                            
  Program: Organized                                                                                                                                                         
  Crime and Drug                                                                                                                                                             
  Enforcement Task                                                                                                                                                           
  Forces (OCDETF)**                                                                                                                                                          

  **Decision                                                                                                                                                                 
  PERFORMANCE Unit:                                                                                                                                                          
  Investigations**                                                                                                                                                           

  **Performance                                 **FY 2001**  **FY 2002**   **FY 2003**   **FY 2004**   **FY 2005**   **FY 2006**   **FY 2007**                 **FY 2008**   **FY 2009**
  Report and                                                                                                                                                                 
  Performance Plan                                                                                                                                                           
  Targets**                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                **Actual**   **Actual**    **Actual**    **Actual**    **Actual**    **Actual**    **Target**    **Actual**    **Target**    **Target**

  **Performance      Percent of active OCDETF   N/A          N/A           N/A           N/A           18%           14%           15%           14%           15%           15%
  Measure**          investigations linked to                                                                                                                                
                     CPOT                                                                                                                                                    

  **Performance      Percent of active OCDETF   N/A          N/A           N/A           N/A           19%           19%           21%           21%           21%           21%
  Measure**          investigations linked to                                                                                                                                
                     RPOT                                                                                                                                                    

  **Performance      Percent of active          N/A          N/A           N/A           N/A           29%           32%           32%           35%           33%           33%
  Measure**          investigations involving                                                                                                                                
                     SOD/Fusion Center                                                                                                                                       
                     Coordination                                                                                                                                            

  **Performance      Percent of active          N/A          N/A           N/A           N/A           13%           10%           11%           9%            10%           10%
  Measure**          investigations targeting                                                                                                                                
                     primary drug money                                                                                                                                      
                     laundering organizations                                                                                                                                

  **Performance      Percent of active          N/A          N/A           N/A           N/A           70%           71%           71%           76%           71%           71%
  Measure**          investigations utilizing                                                                                                                                
                     complex investigative                                                                                                                                   
                     techniques                                                                                                                                              

  **Decision Unit:                                                                                                                                                           ** **
  Prosecutions**                                                                                                                                                             

  **Performance                                 **FY 2001**  **FY 2002**   **FY 2003**   **FY 2004**   **FY 2005**   **FY 2006**   **FY 2007**                 **FY 2008**   **FY 2009**
  Report and                                                                                                                                                                 
  Performance Plan                                                                                                                                                           
  Targets**                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                **Actual**   **Actual**    **Actual**    **Actual**    **Actual**    **Actual**    **Target**    **Actual**    **Target**    **Target**

  **Performance      Number of OCDETF           N/A          9,235/9,315   8,162/6,440   8,160/5,539   8,623/6,566   9,130/7,424   8,800/6,675   9,556/7,716   9,080/7,330   9,080/7,330
  Measure**          Defendants                                                                                                                                              
                     Indicted/Convicted                                                                                                                                      

  ** **              1\. Number and percent of  N/A          N/A           N/A           345/6%        351/5%        388/5%        400/6%        332/4%        315/4%        315/4%
                     convicted defendants                                                                                                                                    
                     linked to CPOT                                                                                                                                          

  ** **              2\. Number and percent of  N/A          N/A           N/A           758/14%       1,009/15%     953/13%       1,015/15%     1,065/14%     1,010/14%     1,010/14%
                     convicted defendants                                                                                                                                    
                     linked to RPOT                                                                                                                                          

  **Performance      Percent of OCDETF           N/A           N/A          N/A           N/A          73%           75%           75%           79%           75%           75%
  Measure**          investigations resulting                                                                                                                                
                     in the conviction of a                                                                                                                                  
                     leader                                                                                                                                                  

  **Performance      Percent of OCDETF           N/A          N/A           N/A           N/A          20%           25%           25%           27%           27%           27%
  Measure**          investigations resulting                                                                                                                                
                     in financial convictions                                                                                                                                

  **Performance      Percent of OCDETF           N/A           N/A          N/A           N/A          85%           83%           86%           80%           80%           80%
  Measure**          investigations resulting                                                                                                                                
                     in assets forfeited or                                                                                                                                  
                     restrained                                                                                                                                              

  **Performance                                 **FY 2001**  **FY 2002**   **FY 2003**   **FY 2004**   **FY 2005**   **FY 2006**   **FY 2007**                 **FY 2008**   **FY 2009**
  Report and                                                                                                                                                                 
  Performance Plan                                                                                                                                                           
  Targets**                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                **Actual**   **Actual**    **Actual**    **Actual**    **Actual**    **Actual**    **Target**    **Actual**    **Target**    **Target**

  **Outcome          Percent investigations     N/A          N/A           N/A           N/A           76%           76%           77%           79%           78%           78%
  Measure**          resulting in                                                                                                                                            
                     disruption/dismantlement                                                                                                                                
                     of targeted organization                                                                                                                                

  **Outcome          Number of CPOT-Linked      N/A          N/A           N/A           127/29        156/93        135/64        155/93        127/64        165/85        202/85
  Measure**          Organizations                                                                                                                                           
                     disrupted/dismantled in                                                                                                                                 
                     OCDETF investigations                                                                                                                                   

  **Outcome          Amount of Seized Assets    N/A          N/A           N/A           53M           80M           109M          82M           124M          115M          115M
  Measure**          from CPOT-Linked                                                                                                                                        
                     Organizations                                                                                                                                           

  **Outcome          Percentage of Aggregate    N/A          N/A           N/A           TBD           TBD           TBD           TBD           TBD           TBD           TBD
  Measure**          Domestic Drug Supply                                                                                                                                    
                     related to                                                                                                                                              
                     Dismantled/Disrupted                                                                                                                                    
                     CPOT-Linked                                                                                                                                             
                     organizations\*                                                                                                                                         
  ------------------ -------------------------- ------------ ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------

-   This measure cannot currently be determined without ONDCP capacity
    estimates.

> N/A -- data unavailable.

**Intentionally Left Blank**

**Program Increases by Item**

**Item Name: [Southwest Border Enforcement Initiative ]{.underline}**

Budget Decision Unit(s): Investigations and Prosecutions

Strategic Goal(s) & Objective(s): Goal 2: Objective 2.4

Organizational Program: OCDETF Program

Component Ranking of Item: 1

Program Increase: Positions [56]{.underline} - Agt/Atty
[36-]{.underline} Other [20]{.underline} -FTE \_[28\_]{.underline}
-Dollars \_[\$9,643,000.00]{.underline}

Description of Item

OCDETF is seeking 56 Positions, 28 FTE and \$9,643,000 to support
OCDETF's efforts to attack organizations moving drugs and illicit
proceeds across the Southwest Border of the U.S. This request will allow
OCDETF to more effectively target those organizations having a
significant impact on the U.S. drug supply by enhancing OCDETF's
resources for exploiting available intelligence, supporting fugitive
apprehension efforts, and providing sufficient attorney resources to
ensure that these investigations have adequate legal oversight and that
identified organizations are fully prosecuted. In addition, OCDETF
formulated this request in coordination with its Justice partners to
ensure OCDETF resources sought herein align and do not duplicate our
partner's FY 2008 and FY 2009 requests to support Southwest Border
investigative and prosecution resource requirements. Specifically, this
request seeks:

[Intelligence Exploitation]{.underline}:

-   \$2,802,000 for DEA to support communications costs associated with
    the Vehicle Identification Initiative, an effort to gather valuable
    law enforcement intelligence regarding Mexico-based Consolidated
    Priority Organization Targets and affiliated "Gatekeeper"
    organizations involved in bulk cash smuggling. Also included is
    \$500,000 to provide sufficient IT infrastructure for the Organized
    Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Fusion Center to process
    and develop the data collected.

[Investigations]{.underline}:

-   6 positions (6 Deputy U.S. Marshals), 3 FTE, and \$1,714,000 to
    increase the USMS capability to apprehend OCDETF fugitives both
    domestically and in foreign countries; particularly those fugitives
    linked to South America and Mexico-based CPOTs and Gatekeepers.

[Prosecutions]{.underline}:

-   50 positions (30 Assistant U.S. Attorneys), 25 FTE, and \$5,127,000
    to support prosecution activities against significant drug
    trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations
    responsible for: (1) transporting or importing drugs and precursor
    chemicals to Mexico for subsequent distribution to the U.S.; (2)
    manufacturing or distributing drugs within Mexico for subsequent
    distribution to the U.S.; (3) transporting drugs across the
    Southwest Border of the U.S. and/or subsequently distributing those
    drugs in the U.S.; and (4) the laundering and the bulk cash
    smuggling of illicit proceeds across the U.S./Mexico border.

[Background]{.underline}:

The Southwest Border of the U.S. is the principal arrival zone for most
illicit drugs smuggled into the U.S., as well as the predominant staging
area for the subsequent distribution of drugs throughout the country.
According to the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC), most of the
cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine and Mexico-produced heroin available
in the U.S. is smuggled across the Southwest Border. In addition,
terrorists and alien smugglers could attempt to enter the United States
or smuggle weapons of mass destruction across the Southwest Border by
utilizing routes and methods established by drug traffickers. Improved
efforst to combat drug trafficking will contribute to greater security
against other national security threats.

The OCDETF Program has sought to address the Department's effort to
reduce the national drug supply by prioritizing resources in a
multi-faceted approach to fully dismantle those drug trafficking and
money laundering organizations having the most significant impact on the
U.S. The OCDETF Program has identified these organizations through the
Attorney General's Consolidated Priority Organization Target (CPOT)
List. Currently, there are 46 organizations that have been designated by
the Attorney General as CPOTs and approximately 580 active
investigations targeting organizations that are linked to one of these
46 targets. The vast majority of these organizations are involved in
drug trafficking and/or money laundering activities that directly impact
the movement of drugs and money across the Southwest Border of the U.S.
This budget request seeks to expand OCDETF's ability to focus on those
CPOTs and CPOT-linked organizations that are impacting the Southwest
Border by addressing the intelligence, enforcement, and prosecution
requirements needed to reduce the volume of drugs and money crossing the
border.

In addition to addressing the Southwest Border threat through the CPOT
initiative, OCDETF is devoting resources to attacking the Gatekeepers
along the Southwest Border through the OCDETF Southwest Region
Gatekeeper Initiative. As discussed in the *President's National Drug
Control Strategy*, intelligence has confirmed that drug trafficking
organizations collect fees to facilitate the movement of all types of
contraband from Mexico into the U.S. The El Paso Intelligence Center
describes the Gatekeeper as follows:

> The role of the Gatekeeper is to facilitate the taxation and
> protection of contraband loads (including illegal aliens) and to
> enforce the will of the cartel through bribery, intimidation,
> extortion, beatings, and murder. Gatekeepers have cultivated and
> maintained political, social, family and law enforcement connections
> in their area of control. Entry points controlled by Gatekeepers
> support large drug movements within Mexico because of their direction
> connections to road, air and rail networks. The more established
> Gatekeepers have
>
> been co-opted by the Mexican cartels. These individuals are often left
> in place due to their extensive political and corrupt law enforcement
> contacts that facilitate smuggling operations, and their ability to
> mask illicit activities in legitimate business.

OCDETF's Gatekeeper Initiative combines the statutory expertise and
authorities of DEA, FBI, USMS, IRS, ICE, ATF and the Border Patrol to
accomplish the following objectives: (1) establish multi-district OCDETF
investigations of the major Gatekeepers and their organizations
operating along the Southwest Border, including the identification and
investigation of corrupt law enforcement officials on both sides of the
Southwest Border; (2) identify additional activities of the Gatekeepers
in other OCDETF Regions and pass investigative leads to those
jurisdictions, thus broadening the scope of Gatekeeper investigations;
(3) disrupt drug trafficking patterns along the Southwest Border by
attacking the smuggling activities of major drug cartels, including
CPOTs; (4) target the illegal purchase and distribution of firearms by
the subjects of Gatekeeper and CPOT investigations, including analyzing
intelligence information to identify facilitators for the CPOTs and
Gatekeepers, such as Federal Firearms Licensees and straw purchasers.

To truly be successful in dismantling those organizations responsible
for moving drugs and money across the Southwest Border, it is not enough
to investigate these organizations and make arrests ─ the members of
these organizations must face indictment and prosecution. In FY 2003,
OCDETF initiated a process to regularly analyze the existing and
emerging drug threats nationwide and to strategically deploy OCDETF
resources to those areas facing the highest threats. As part of this
process, OCDETF, together with the Executive Office for United States
Attorneys, undertook an examination of existing OCDETF attorney
positions in each of the 94 judicial districts to determine whether
appropriate numbers of prosecutors were assigned to the districts, given
the investigative workforce and drug threats. Given the complexity of
OCDETF investigations and prosecutions, and recognizing that AUSA
participation early in the investigative process was critical to
success, two management studies have recommended a staffing ratio of one
attorney to every 4.5 investigative agents in the OCDETF Program.

Additional AUSA resources for the OCDETF Program in FY 2004 and FY 2006
have allowed the OCDETF to operate at a ratio of approximately 1 AUSA
for every 9 agents. However, agent resources redirected to the Southwest
Border to meet the mounting drug threat there have increased OCDETF's
AUSA to agent ratio in the Southwest Region to 13 to 1. The enhancement
requested in this submission is targeted to bring prosecutors to
precisely the area of greatest need and will reduce the agent to
attorney ratio at the Southwest Border to be consistent with the
national average of 9 to 1.

Justification

OCDETF's FY 2009 budget request is squarely focused on the complexities
of attacking the most significant drug threat facing the U.S. --- the
movement of drugs and money across the Southwest Border. As was
recognized in the formulation of the *National Southwest Border
Counternarcotics Strategy and Implementation Plan (NSBCSIP) (2006)* and
the *Department of Justice's FY 2007 -- FY 2012 Strategic Plan*, to be
successful in attacking the Southwest Border threat, law enforcement
must concentrate its efforts in three areas ─ intelligence,
investigations, and prosecutions. Although no single agency can
accomplish this on its own, the OCDETF Program, with its multi-agency,
strategic approach to attacking drug-related organized crime, is in the
best position to direct resources to support all of these efforts.

As such, OCDETF has sought this enhancement to comprehensively attack
those organizations most responsible for the U.S. drug supply, including
those organizations on the Attorney General's CPOT List.

Through this request, the OCDETF Program intends to address the
following priorities in attacking the Southwest Border threat: (1)
focusing on the CPOT and CPOT-linked organizations that are responsible
for the manufacturing and distribution of drugs and precursor chemicals
to Mexico for subsequent distribution to the U.S.; the manufacture or
distribution of drugs within Mexico for subsequent distribution to the
U.S.; and the transportation to or distribution within the U.S. of drugs
crossing the Southwest Border; (2) attacking the "Gatekeepers" along the
Southwest Border that are responsible for providing logistical support
to the major Mexico-based organizations importing drugs into the U.S.
and transporting bulk cash back to Mexico; and (3) increasing OCDETF
legal resources to address the investigation and prosecution of the CPOT
and CPOT-linked organizations and Gatekeepers.

*[Intelligence: Connecting the Dots to CPOTs and
Gatekeepers]{.underline}*

Since substantially refocusing the Program in FY 2002, OCDETF has been
working to develop a more strategic, intelligence-driven approach to
OCDETF investigations. At the centerpiece of this effort has been the
development of the OCDETF Fusion Center (OFC), which has combined the
drug and drug-related financial intelligence of the OCDETF member
agencies as well as other relevant information from other agencies, such
as the National Drug Intelligence Center, the Financial Crimes
Enforcement Network, and the State Department. The primary purpose of
the OFC has been to develop a more robust intelligence capability to
support the efforts of OCDETF participants to "connect the dots" and
dismantle organizations in their entirety.

[The \$2,802,000 requested by OCDETF will help support communications
costs associated with the Vehicle Identification Initiative, an effort
to gather valuable law enforcement intelligence regarding Mexico-based
Consolidated Priority Organization Targets and affiliated "Gatekeeper"
organizations involved in bulk cash smuggling. Also included is
\$500,000 to provide sufficient IT infrastructure for the Organized
Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Fusion Center to process and
develop the data collected.]{.underline}

While the OFC will use this information to identify vehicles commonly
used by particular organizations of interest or to determine patterns of
activity by certain organizations to enhance interdiction efforts, this
effort will also develop a more immediate interdiction response for law
enforcement agents in the field. The requested funding will ensure that
this data is available to the OFC, thereby enhancing the effectiveness
of the OFC in identifying those targets connected to CPOTs and
Gatekeepers and the value of the OFC products to the field.

*[Investigations: Permanently dismantling CPOTs and Gatekeepers in their
entirety.]{.underline}*

The OCDETF Program has squarely focused its investigations on attacking
the most significant drug trafficking and money laundering organizations
in their entirety through coordinated, nationwide investigations. This
has been accomplished by developing investigations that use the
statutory authorities and expertise of all of the OCDETF member agencies
in an effort to not only address the drug trafficking activities and
related criminal activity ─ money laundering, public corruption,
firearms offenses, immigration violations, etc. For more than 25 years,
OCDETF has recognized that we achieve greater impact against complex
drug organizations if we develop a comprehensive approach aimed at
permanently dismantling every facet of the organization. The OCDETF
Program has further fostered this approach by establishing OCDETF
Co-located Strike Forces in key cities in order to improve coordination
and intelligence sharing among the OCDETF member agencies. However, if
the OCDETF Program is truly to succeed in its goal of disrupting and
dismantling drug organizations, it is not enough to investigate and to
indict the members of the drug organizations; the members must be
apprehended and brought to justice. This aspect of the Southwest Border
Enforcement Initiative will provide additional resources to focus on
permanently dismantling CPOT, CPOT-linked and Gatekeeper organizations
having the greatest impact on the supply of drugs and related proceeds
that transit the Southwest Border of the U.S.

[OCDETF seeks \$1,714,000 and six positions for the USMS to address
OCDETF fugitive apprehension efforts.]{.underline} This will allow
OCDETF to place an additional Deputy U.S. Marshal in each of the border
Districts, as well as one Deputy U.S. Marshal in Mexico City, to address
the apprehension of OCDETF fugitives that are linked to CPOTs and
Gatekeepers. Currently, there are over 315 open OCDETF warrants with
leads to Mexico. There are eight Deputy U.S. Marshals responsible for
the 1,377 open warrants in the Southwest Region - nearly 172 cases per
investigator. It is unrealistic to expect an investigator to effectively
pursue such an overwhelming caseload, much less to engage in proactive
involvement in OCDETF investigations that might assist in avoiding
significant numbers of new fugitives at the conclusion of an OCDETF
investigation.

These new resources would provide OCDETF with an enhanced ability to
involve USMS in pre-takedown efforts and pre-seizure planning efforts in
an attempt to minimize the number of fugitives that materialize in
OCDETF investigations. As of the third quarter of FY 2007, in those
operations in which OCDETF has been able to fully integrate USMS
personnel in such pre-takedown efforts, OCDETF has achieved a 93 percent
arrest rate.

Additionally, the money requested will assist the USMS in pursuing one
Special OCDETF Reaction Team (SORT) effort annually along the Southwest
Border. SORT Operations bring additional investigators to a specific
region in a concentrated effort to reduce the number of OCDETF
fugitives. Past SORT operations have had a significant impact on the
reduction of backlogged OCDETF fugitive cases within a targeted region.
Since 2000, the USMS has relied on reprogrammed funds from OCDETF to
supply the requisite funding for these short-term, targeted fugitive
apprehension operations.  During this time, USMS has conducted five
tremendously successful SORTs that have resulted in the apprehension of
more than 1,100 OCDETF fugitives.      

The additional funds requested will permit OCDETF to dedicate a USMS
position in Mexico to coordinate fugitive leads with Mexico authorities
as well as assist in defraying the costs of extradition incurred by the
USMS when bringing a fugitive out of Mexico back to the U.S. to face
prosecution. This position is even more critical given recent progress
made with the Government of Mexico on the extradition of top-level drug
traffickers to the U.S.

*[Prosecutions: Increase the Capacity of United States Attorneys'
Offices to Handle OCDETF Investigations along the Southwest
Border]{.underline}*

As outlined in the NSBCSIP, the OCDETF Program needs an additional 111
AUSAs over FY 2009 to FY 2011 to address the current prosecution deficit
in the Southwest Region (assuming that no additional agent resources are
added to the Program). [To partially address this deficit, OCDETF seeks
50 positions (30 additional AUSA positions) and \$5,127,000 to support
the prosecution of CPOT and CPOT-linked organizations moving drugs into
the U.S. from Mexico, as well as the Gatekeeper organizations operating
along the Southwest Border.]{.underline}

As OCDETF has shifted increasing investigative resources to the
Southwest Border, the deficit of prosecutors to investigative agents has
become increasingly pronounced. Currently, nearly 25 percent of the
investigative resources OCDETF allocates to the nine OCDETF Regions is
devoted to OCDETF's Southwest Region. Moreover, the number of OCDETF
investigations initiated in the Southwest Region from FY 2004 to FY 2007
was 42 percent greater than the national average per OCDETF Region for
the same time period. The concentration of investigative resources and
resulting rise in investigations in OCDETF's Southwest Region has
created a more burdensome workload for OCDETF AUSAs in this region. Not
only is the burden greater in terms of the volume of cases for these
AUSAs, but it can be significantly more challenging given the
sophistication of the targets and the complexity of investigative
techniques. For example, nationally the OCDETF Program pursued over
2,900 wiretaps between FY 2005 and FY 2007, and approximately 25 percent
of these wiretaps were done by OCDETF's Southwest Region. Wiretaps are
just one of the complex, work hour intensive investigative techniques
used in OCDETF investigations that require active AUSA involvement and
legal oversight. Such legal support to on-going investigations can be
time consuming for AUSAs that already have a full docket of prosecution
activities (trials, grand jury time, negotiation of plea agreements,
etc.). The unavailability of sufficient AUSA resources hampers the
progress of OCDETF investigations, leaving violent, drug trafficking
organizations to operate in our communities for longer periods of time
while the necessary evidence is gathered to charge and arrest their
members.

The requested resources are necessary to improve the ability of OCDETF
to prosecute and fully dismantle these organizations. Although on
average 82 percent of OCDETF funds are used to cover salaries and
expenses within the Program, 92 percent of the OCDETF funds allocated to
the Executive Office of United States Attorneys (EOUSA) must be used for
this purpose. As a result, EOUSA has struggled to keep pace with the
rising costs of litigation, and the realignment of operational funds to
create additional AUSA positions is not an option. OCDETF has worked
with EOUSA to ensure OCDETF funds are directed to our highest priorities
and to identify where resources can be shifted to ensure adequate
support to the Southwest Border. For example, OCDETF recently redirected
resources previously allocated to the Tax Division to EOUSA to create
three additional AUSA positions for EOUSA. However, OCDETF has exhausted
its ability, absent new resources, to dedicate the necessary resources
to the Southwest Border.

Impact on Performance

This request supports Priority III of the *National Drug Control
Strategy*, particularly its emphasis on enforcement in the Southwest
Border Region, and Department of Justice's Strategic Goal 2, Objective
2.4. This request also directly supports the following Attorney General
FY 2009 budget priority: "dismantle drug trafficking organizations and
stop the spread of illegal drugs." OCDETF funding in this request
further addresses the Attorney General's FY 2009 budget priority to
"reduce violent crime, especially violence perpetrated with guns or by
gangs." This request is also aligned with ONDCP's April 20, 2007
guidance to the Department that addressing Southwest Border enforcement
activities and supporting intelligence operations and field operations
are drug control priorities for the FY 2009 budget. Specifically, ONDCP
stated that "...DOJ must ensure that enhancements include resources
necessary to capitalize on the intelligence generated by important
programs such as Operation Gatekeeper". Finally, the funding requested
for the Fusion Center activities supports both the dismantlement of drug
trafficking organizations and support for intelligence and field
operations.

The requested enhancements are expected to have the following impact on
the performance of the Program:

-   This enhancement will support the initiation of approximately 50
    additional OCDETF investigations targeting organizations moving
    drugs across the Southwest Border. It will provide sufficient AUSA
    resources to support the prosecution activities associated with
    these additional initiations, thereby making the OCDETF Program more
    effective in identifying and fully dismantling the targeted
    organizations.

-   An additional 30 AUSAs would result in the indictment of at least an
    additional 400 defendants (based on past performance) and the
    disruption or dismantlement of an additional 30 CPOT-linked
    organizations.

-   In FY 2007, theUSMS arrested 1,449 OCDETF fugitives ─ an average of
    42 arrests per OCDETF U.S. Marshal FTE, clearing 1,492 warrants by
    arrest. With the additional OCDETF funds, OCDETF estimates that USMS
    could locate and arrest another 530 of these violent OCDETF
    fugitives to assist in addressing the backlog of 7,200 outstanding
    OCDETF fugitive warrants. In addition, these resources will allow
    USMS to participate in OCDETF's CPOT and Gatekeeper investigations
    in advance of takedown to limit the future number of fugitives.

**[RESOURCE REQUEST BY AGENCY:]{.underline}**

OCDETF seeks 56 positions, 28 FTE, and \$9,643,000 to support OCDETF's
efforts to attack organizations moving drugs and illicit proceeds across
the Southwest Border of the U.S.

Base Funding

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<col style="width: 12%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 7%" />
<col style="width: 12%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 7%" />
<col style="width: 13%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="4"><p id="fy-2007-enacted" class="heading"> FY 2007 Enacted
</p></td>
<td colspan="4"><p id="fy-2008-requirements" class="heading">FY 2008
Requirements</p></td>
<td colspan="4"><p id="fy-2009-current-services" class="heading">FY 2009
Current Services</p></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Pos</td>
<td><p>agt/</p>
<p>atty</p></td>
<td>FTE</td>
<td>$(000)</td>
<td>Pos</td>
<td><p>agt/</p>
<p>atty</p></td>
<td>FTE</td>
<td>$(000)</td>
<td>Pos</td>
<td><p>Agt/</p>
<p>atty</p></td>
<td>FTE</td>
<td>$(000)</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>668</td>
<td>466</td>
<td>668</td>
<td>79,990</td>
<td>687</td>
<td>485</td>
<td>687</td>
<td>86,256</td>
<td>687</td>
<td>485</td>
<td>687</td>
<td>89,706</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

[]{.mark}

[Personnel Increase Cost Summary]{.underline}

+-----------------+--------+-----------+-------------+----------------+
| Type of         | M      | Number of | FY 2009     | FY 2010 Net    |
| Position        | odular |           |             | Annualization  |
|                 | Cost   | Positions | Request     |                |
|                 |        |           | (\$000)     | (change from   |
|                 | per    | Requested |             | 2009)          |
|                 | Po     |           |             |                |
|                 | sition |           |             | (\$000)        |
|                 | (      |           |             |                |
|                 | \$000) |           |             |                |
+-----------------+--------+-----------+-------------+----------------+
| **USMS**        | 221    | 5         | 1,107       | 211            |
|                 |        |           |             |                |
| Agents          | 382    | [1]{.u    | [382]{      | [-2            |
|                 |        | nderline} | .underline} | 4]{.underline} |
| Foreign Agent   |        |           |             |                |
|                 |        | **6**     | **1,489**   | **187**        |
| **TOTAL USMS**  |        |           |             |                |
+-----------------+--------+-----------+-------------+----------------+
| **USA**         | 127    | 30        | 3,823       | 2,613          |
|                 |        |           |             |                |
| Attorneys       | 72     | 3         | 216         | 104            |
|                 |        |           |             |                |
| Paralegals      | 64     | [17]{.u   | [1,088]{    | [37            |
|                 |        | nderline} | .underline} | 3]{.underline} |
| Clerical        |        |           |             |                |
|                 |        | **50**    | **5,127**   | **3,090**      |
| **TOTAL USA**   |        |           |             |                |
+-----------------+--------+-----------+-------------+----------------+
| **TOTAL         |        | **56**    | **6,616**   | **3,277**      |
| PERSONNEL**     |        |           |             |                |
+-----------------+--------+-----------+-------------+----------------+

Non-Personnel Increase Cost Summary

+-----------------+---------+---------+------------+------------------+
| Non-Personnel   | Unit    | Q       | FY 2009    | FY 2010 Net      |
| Item            | Cost    | uantity | Request    | Annualization    |
|                 |         |         |            |                  |
|                 |         |         | (\$000)    | (Change from     |
|                 |         |         |            | 2009)            |
|                 |         |         |            |                  |
|                 |         |         |            | (\$000)          |
+-----------------+---------+---------+------------+------------------+
| **DEA**         |         |         | 2,302      | -767             |
|                 |         |         |            |                  |
| -               |         |         | [500]{.    | \-[              |
|  Communications |         |         | underline} | 275]{.underline} |
|     Support     |         |         |            |                  |
|                 |         |         | **2,802**  | **-1,042**       |
| -   IT          |         |         |            |                  |
|                 |         |         |            |                  |
|  Infrastructure |         |         |            |                  |
|                 |         |         |            |                  |
| > **TOTAL DEA** |         |         |            |                  |
+-----------------+---------+---------+------------+------------------+
| **USMS**        |         |         | 125        | 0                |
|                 |         |         |            |                  |
| -   Sort        |         |         | [100]{.    | [0]{.underline}  |
|     Operations  |         |         | underline} |                  |
|                 |         |         |            | 0                |
| -   Extradition |         |         | **225**    |                  |
|     Expenses    |         |         |            |                  |
|                 |         |         |            |                  |
| > **TOTAL       |         |         |            |                  |
| > USMS**        |         |         |            |                  |
+-----------------+---------+---------+------------+------------------+
| **Total         |         |         | **3,027**  | **-1,042**       |
| Non-Personnel** |         |         |            |                  |
+-----------------+---------+---------+------------+------------------+

Total Request for this Item

+-----------+-----+------+-----+----------+---------+----------------+
|           | Pos | Agt/ | FTE | P        | Non-Pe  | Total          |
|           |     | Atty |     | ersonnel | rsonnel |                |
|           |     |      |     |          |         | (\$000)        |
|           |     |      |     | (\$000)  | (\$000) |                |
+-----------+-----+------+-----+----------+---------+----------------+
| Current   | 687 | 485  | 687 | 89,706   | ...     | 89,706         |
| Services  |     |      |     |          |         |                |
+-----------+-----+------+-----+----------+---------+----------------+
| Increases | 56  | 36   | 28  | 6,616    | 3,027   | 9,643          |
+-----------+-----+------+-----+----------+---------+----------------+
| **Grand   | *   | **5  | *   | **       | **      | **99,349**     |
| Total**   | *74 | 21** | *71 | 96,322** | 3,027** |                |
|           | 3** |      | 5** |          |         |                |
+-----------+-----+------+-----+----------+---------+----------------+

**BUDGET EXHIBITS**

**Intentionally Left Blank**