There are numerous special enforcement operations ongoing cr planned for 1983, which have been coordinated with other law enforcement agencies. These operations include:

Contraband Enforcement Teams (CET) will conduct

operations in high-risk narcotics smuggling areas, focusing on intelligence collection and tactical interdictory operations.

Intelligence information, profiles and enforcement teams will target vehicles and cargo crossing the northern border.

Specific commodities and country of origin shipments utilizing in-bond procedures will be examined at ports of arrival and destination.

Canine teams will be used to screen mail for narcotics at several international mail facilities.

Plans are underway to place radar on offshore drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, increasing our detection capabilities in this high threat smuggling area.

The

Conspiracies involving elements of the transportation business have been documented in many ports. investigation of these sophisticated operations will be a priority enforcement program.

In order to ensure the success of NNBIS, we propose that a NNBIS Working Group be established as expeditiously as possible to define NNBIS goals and objectives and add stability to the NNBIS operation. The Group should be chaired by Customs and composed of the five highest law enforcement officials of the following agencies; Customs, Coast Guard, DEA, INS and DOD with ad hoc representation from the intelligence community.

The Coordinating Board chaired by Admiral Murphy would be responsible for coordination with Congress and OMB and provide overall policy direction to the Working Group. The Working Group would be charged with coordination and interface with DOD, state and local enforcements agencies, and the press. The NNBIS Working Group would oversee resource requests, intelligence requirements, major joint operations and coordination with the Drug Task Forces.

The Group would oversee the operation of five regional NNBIS Working Groups located in New York, Miami, Houston, Los Angeles, and Chicago, already identified as major drug interdiction centers. Customs has 24-hour operational communication and intelligence centers in all of these cities and could provide immediate service for all of the NNBIS operations. Customs has a 24-hour communication center in Washington which could serve as the central NNEIS command center.

We believe NNBIS should attack narcotics interdiction simultaneously at and between ports of entry by air, land and sea operations. Air and marine operations would be along the lines established by the highly successful South Florida Project.

We would like to meet with you to discuss these and other KNBIS proposals in greater depth as soon as possible and to make arrangements for an early meeting of the NNBIS Working Group.

Since the President announced this program on March 23, 1983, we feel it is imperative to quickly implement the organizational and operational structure.

QUESTION:

15.

With respect to question #15, what evidence do you have
to show whether the increased enforcement results
obtained at facilities using modified passenger
inspection techniques is due to your new procedures,
intensified smuggling activity or some other factor or
combination of factors?

ANSWER:

We have made gains in the area of selective enforcment as
indicated in our Final Report Observational Techniques
Training. Since the completion of this training, we have
monitored seizures which were a direct result of the train-
ing. There has been a marked increase in quality interdic-
tions involving both the number of internal body carries and
the number of carries by conventional means. Further, we have
attempted to create a favorable working environment in which
to employ the observational techniques. This has been
achieved through the implementation of red/green systems, the
relaxing of rigid mandatory inspection standards, and through
the creation of rover teams who work throughout the entire
inspectional area.

QUESTION: #16

ANSWER:

The data in response to question #17 show that the quantity of cocaine seized by Customs air patrol units, as a percentage of the total weight of Customs cocaine siezures, dropped from 37.8 percent in FY 1981 to 15.2 percent in FY 1982 and 9.7 percent through the first 7 months of FY 1983. Over the same period, the quantity of marijuana seized by air patrol units fell from 8.0 percent to 5.6 percent of total Customs marijuana seizures. During this same period Customs intensified its interdiction effort in the South Florida area -- the major point of entry for illicit marijuana and cocaine and for the first time was able to make use of DOD assistance on a much broader basis.

a.

b.

-

How do you explain the declining productivity of the air program at a time when the supplies of illicit drugs being smuggled into the country were estimated to be increasing sharply?

How do you justify expansion of the air program as requested in your 1984 proposal in light of the results achieved so far?

a. & b.

The amount of cocaine seized in the Customs Air Program has continued to rise. In FY 1981 1,980 pounds were seized; in 1982 2,205 pounds were seized, and during just the first 10 months of FY 1983 4,270 pounds were seized.

Seizures and arrests are not the sole indicators of interdic-
tion effectiveness; deterrence (or disruption to the smuggler)
is also a factor. Deterrence (or disruption) is indicated by

a number of factors--reduced smuggler activities, changes in
smuggling routes or methods, less evidence of crashed aircraft
and informant information are among them. As our intensified
enforcement presence in Florida has disrupted smugglers,
activity has increased elsewhere. The increased military
equipment will give us the capability to better deter
smugglers altogether, rather than merely send them elsewhere.

It is difficult to estimate the enforcement results which will
accrue as additional interdiction capability is established.
Past experience has shown that initial seizures and arrests
are very high, but taper off once the smugglers realize our
presence.
As stated above, deterrence is an important factor.
Seizures and arrests are a direct indicator of the degree of
smuggler activity present in a given area. As that activity
is disrupted, seizures and arrests should decrease.
objective is to stop the flow of contraband.
plished by seizures/arrests and deterrence.

Our
This is accom-

QUESTION # 17:

ANSWER:

In response to questions # 13, 18 and 19, you urge that Customs be given authority to gather intelligence in foreign countries and conduct post-interdiction investigations of Customs narcotics seizures.

Customs

is currently prohibited from engaging in these activities under Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1973.

(a) To what extent have you discussed this proposal with the Department of Justice? Does Justice support it?

(b) Are there any plans for the Attorney General to delegate additional investigative authority to Customs similar to what was done in South Florida?

(a) We have had numerous discussions with the Department
of Justice concerning the receiving of additional
authority for U.S. Customs to conduct post-interdiction
narcotic investigations. Department of Justice's
present feeling is that U.S. Customs role in narcotic
investigations be focused primarily in the area of
financial investigations.

We are presently embarking on a program, coordinated with DEA, to conduct pre-interdiction narcotic investigations relative to internal cargo conspiracy investigations. These conspirators are transportation and freight industry employees who smuggle narcotics by circumventing Customs examination by a variety of methods.

(b) Other than the authority granted to us in South Florida, I am not aware of any plans for the Attorney General to delegate additional investigative authority to Customs.

PREPARED STATEMENT OF

WILLIAM von RAAB

COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS

MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE,

I AM PLEASED TO COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO DISCUSS THE CUSTOMS SERVICE EFFORTS TO HALT DRUG TRAFFICKING AT OUR NATION'S BORDERS. I AM PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE IT IS IN FORUMS SUCH AS THESE, THAT WE ARE BETTER ABLE TO INFORM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ABOUT THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THE DRUG SMUGGLING THREAT.

As

MR. CHAIRMAN, THE CUSTOMS SERVICE IS AN OLD AND PROUD AGENCY, WITH A RICH HERITAGE AND A COLORFUL BACKGROUND. MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW, THE CUSTOMS SERVICE WAS OUR NATION'S FIRST FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, AND TRADITIONALLY IT HAS HAD A VERY BROAD MISSION, INCLUDING THE COLLECTION OF REVENUES AND NUMEROUS ACTIVITIES IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AREA, ESPECIALLY ACTIVITIES RELATING TO THE SMUGGLING OF CONTRABAND, INCLUDING NARCOTICS.

MR. CHAIRMAN, WHEN I CAME TO THE CUSTOMS SERVICE NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO, I WAS DISTRESSED TO LEARN THAT WITHIN CUSTOMS, LAW

ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES GENERALLY HAD BEEN SOMEWHAT DEEMPHASIZED