INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL SUMMARY.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-01601R001000040004-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 10, 2001
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: December 28, 1971
• Content Type: SUMMARY

NO. 305
HOLD FOR RELEASE UNTIL 1:00 P.M. EST TUESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1971.
Secretary of State William P. Rogers released today a report entitled
"International Narcotics Control Summary."
Upon releasing the report, Secretary Rogers, Chairman of President
Nixon's Cabinet Committee for International Narcotics Control, said:
"The international narcotics problem is high on our list of priorities
during this coming year. I have directed that effective narcotics control
be one of the major objectives of our diplomacy in contacts with other
governments. As the Summary suggests, the United States Government is
making every effort in cooperation with other nations and international
organizations to solve this horrendous problem. The Summary reflects the
extent to which the Cabinet Committee and its staff members in a relatively
short period have successfully combined their energies and talent to make
concrete proposals which will help to diminish and eventually to suppress
the illicit drug production and trafficking."
Following is the International Narcotics Control Summary:
State Dept. declassification & release instructions on file
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INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL SUMMARY
Coordination of U.S. international efforts.
-On September 7, 1971, the President announced the creation of a
Cabinet Committee for International Narcotics Control. This
Committee is chaired by the Secretary of State. Its other members
include the Secretaries of Defense, Agriculture,.the Treasury, the
Director of the CIA, the Attorney General, and the U.S. Ambassador
to the United Nations. The Committee has the responsibility for
coordinating and supervising all U.S. Government efforts to
interdict the flow of narcotics into the United States.
-On August 2, 1971, Nelson Gross joined the staff of the Department
of State as Senior Adviser to the Secretary and Coordinator for
International Narcotics Matters-
-The regional and functional bureaus in the Department of State
have appointed drug control coordinators. Interagency narcotics
control committees, including representatives of State, Defense,
Treasury, AID, BNDD, CIA, and USIA, have been established in all
of the regional bureaus of the State Department (e.g., Bureau of
European Affairs, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, etc.)
for the purpose of developing an integrated approach to narcotics
control in each geographic area.
-Narcotics Control Coordinators have been appointed in all U.S.
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as producing countries or transit countries.
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-Throughout the world American Ambassadors have been discussing
more effective narcotics control with foreign governments as a
matter of the highest priority in our foreign relations. Chiefs
of Mission in the countries of East Asia, the principal area of
illicit opium production, have met in Bangkok, Thailand with
Washington officials to discuss a regional strategy. Chiefs of
Mission in the countries of Europe, the principal area of process-
ing and trafficking for the U.S. market, have held discussions for
a similar purpose in Paris. Narcotics control action plans are
being prepared for those countries considered to have a current or
potential involvement in the production, processing, consumption,
or transiting of illicit hard drugs. This project focusses on
world supplies, trafficking, and smuggling of heroin and cocaine
destined for the U.S. market or U.S. personnel abroad.
Intensified Law Enforcement.
-Intensified Customs examination of passengers, baggage, and cargo
entering the United States has resulted in increased seizures of
illicit drugs entering the country.
In a two-year period the quantities and the number of narcotic and
seizures by the U.S. Bureau of Customs has more than doubled.
Seizures of hard drugs in FY 1971 totalled over 1200 pounds, far
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Preliminary figures for heroin seized in the first nine months
of 1971 show more than 1000 pounds compared to 26 pounds seized
in the comparable period in calendar 1970. Customs seizures of
marijuna increased substantially from 48,000 pounds to 113,000
pounds, while seizures of hashish in fiscal year 1971 totalled
more than 3000 pounds, nearly twice the amount seized the
preceding year. Over 10 million 5-grain units of dangerous drugs
such as amphetamines and barbiturates were seized during FY 1971;
though the number of units seized was slightly less than in
FY 1970, the number of seizures increased from 1080 to 1553.
-The Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD) has established
a new enforcement officer career field. A total of 140 "com-
pliance inspectors" are being hired. They will specialize in
curbing the illicit diversion of legitimate drugs.
-BNDD is increasing its overseas special agent force to 123 men,
more than double the previous strength. The Bureau is opening
21 new overseas offices, bringing its offices abroad to a total
of 46.
-In August 1971 the Internal Revenue Service of the Treasury
Department began to conduct systematic tax investigations of
middle and upper echelon narcotics traffickers, smugglers, and
financiers. This nationally coordinated effort is designed to,
disrupt the narcotics distribution system by intensive investi-
gations of those key figures. and to reduce drastically the
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profits derived from the illicit trade in narcotics.
-The staff of the Customs Bureau has been increased from 9,200 in
1968 to 14,000 in 1971 in order to enhance the Bureau's capacity
to deal with the smuggling of narcotics into the United States.
The number of special agents has more than tripled during this
period from 300 to 1000. The Bureau has the world's most modern
electronic intelligence system and its own fleet of aircraft,
boats, helicopters and specially equipped vehicles for inter-
diction activities.
-The Bureau of Customs has developed and is about to implement an
intensive enforcement program to interdict smuggling of narcotics
by aircraft. This will be accomplished by high-speed aircraft
equipped with sophisticated sensor devices and supported by
tactical ground operations.
-The State Department continued to warn American citizens travelling
abroad of-the severity of foreign narcotics laws and the inability
of American consular officials to aid Americans charged with the
possession or smuggling of narcotics. A flyer warning travellers
against drug violations abroad was released in June 1970 and
revised in April 1971. To date over a million copies have been
distributed to travel agencies (all 7000 members of the American
Society ofTravel Agents), U.S. passport offices, nongovernmental
organizations, periodicals with particular interest in youth,
and others.
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Cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies.
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-In September 1971 BNDD together with the narcotic control agencies
of France and Canada sponsored in Washington a two-week seminar
of top ranking police officials from 13 foreign countries.
Participants discussed all aspects of the international drug
traffic and the means of combatting it.
-BNDD will conduct schools for law enforcement organizations in
Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and the Caribbean.
-Under the auspices of the Office of Public Safety of AID, public
safety officers from 26 countries met in Washington, October 11-
19, 1971, for extensive briefings and discussions on all aspects
of the international narcotics problem.
-The Franco-American Intergovernmental Committee on Drug Control
meets periodically to coordinate efforts to curb drug trafficking.
Since November 1970 representatives of the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police have participated in the work of the Committee.
-BNDD Director John E. Ingersoll has made official visits to South-
east Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Canada, Mexico and Central
and South America to confer with government officials on closer
cooperation in narcotics controls.
-In June 1971 the Customs Cooperation Council, an international
organization composed of 66 member countries, adopted a recommenda-
tion on the spontaneous exchange of information concerning
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illicit traffic in narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances.
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U.S. Customs representatives participated in its development and,
as a member of the Council, the U.S. has adopted the recommenda-
tion.
-The U.S. Commissioner of Customs Myles J. Ambrose has met with the
heads and senior officers of European customs administrations as
well as Canadian and Mexican officials in a continuing program
of customs-to-customs liaison on narcotics enforcement.
International Agreements and Foreign Initiatives.
-At its 24th Session held in Geneva, Switzerland, between September
28 and October 22, 1971 the United Nations Commission on Narcotic
Drugs considered amendments to the Single Convention on Narcotic
Drugs proposed by the U.S. and other countries in preparation for
the plenipotentiary conference scheduled for March 1972. The
amendments are designed to bring about better control of production
and distribution of opium and to reinforce the powers of the
International Narcotics Control Board. The State Department has
mounted a world-wide diplomatic effort to gain support for the
amendments.
-On June 29, 1971, President Nixon sent the Convention on Psychotropic
Substances to the Senate for advice and consent to ratification.
The U.S. joined with over 70 countries in negotiating this treaty
to bring under international control these dangerous drugs which
include am hetamines, barbiturates, hallucinogens like LSD, and
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tranquillizers.
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-The UN Expanded Plan for Drug Abuse Control has begun operation
with the negotiation of projects under a comprehensive program
with Thailand. The voluntary UN Fund to finance the Plan has
received in addition to the initial U.S. contribution, pledges of
substantial sums from Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany and
France.
-On September 28, 1971, the United States and Thailand signed a
Memorandum of Understanding pledging a mutual effort to control
and eliminate the flow of narcotics from and through Thailand.
Specific programs for the implementation of the agreement are now
being negotiated, with a planning group already formed and operat-
ing--The Turkish Government has pledged to eliminate all opium cultiva-
tion at the end of the 1971-2 crop year and has passed a strict
licensing law to control the production of opium during the fiscal
year. A Government decree bans the growing of opium poppies after
June 30, 1972.
-In connection with the conclusion of the Turkish agreement, President
Nixon on September 28 directed then Secretary of Agriculture Hardin
to lead a high-level team of experts on a mission to advise the
Turkish Government on the agricultural development of the Western
Anatolia region, the country's primary poppy growing area. The
team discussed improved techniques; alternative crops, the develop-
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men t of
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' country
:.to -tt e:.President's. pledge of, June, 30 to put this
brains at the disposal of Turkey.
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-On September 23, 1971, the Government of..Laos promulgated a law
banning the manufacture, trading'and transportation of opium and
its derivatives including heroin. The law provides a basis `for;
U.S. cooperation with the Laotian Government in combatting the
international drug traffic. In a further 'move against the illicit
.traffic the Government of Laos recently issued a decree, directing
that the importation and distribution of acetic anhydride be
strictly controlled in order to prevent its illegal use as a key
ingredient in the production of heroin..
-On August 6, 1971, French President Pompidou. proposed to the other
five members of the European Economic Community.and._to the United
Kingdom that they meet to consider ways in which they could
strengthen their national efforts to combat narcotics trafficking
and to deal with other major aspects of the narcotics addiction
problem. On October 4, 1971, President Nixon sent a letter to
President Pompidou congratulating him on this initiative.
-In September and October, 1971 Nelson Gross,. Senior A dviser'on
International Narcotics Matters to the Secretary of State, visited
a number of countries in Europe and Southeast Asia to confer
with local government officials on cooperative efforts to combat
.
the international narcotics traffic. In November, Mr. Gross
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addressed a meeting of the NATO Committee on the Challenges of
Modern Society on the international character of the drug problem.
-From November 22-25, 1971 the Australian Government sponsored in
Canberra a conference of Southeast Asian countries for the purpose
of improving narcotics control on a regional basis. The U.S.'
and U.N. were represented by obervers.
-President Thieu of the Republic of Viet-Nam has submitted a tough
anti-narcotics law to the Lower House of the Vietnames Legislature.
In connection with its crackdown on narcotics, the Government of
Viet-Nam, assisted by Thai authorities, seized some 50 kilograms
of heroin in Saigon and arrested 20 heroin traffickers.
-On August 11, 1971, the Deputy Attorney General of Mexico reported
on the results of the Mexican-Government's anti-narcotics campaign
since Operation Cooperation begain in 1969. His announcement
showed that 10,356 fields of opium poppy had been destroyed; 700
pounds of seed had been captured; 176 pounds of crude opium, 116
pounds of heroin, and 319 pounds of cocaine had been seized; and
2,468 fields of marijuana burned.
-On October 12, 1971, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Richard G.
Kleindienst conferred with his Canadian and Mexican counterparts
in Mexico City to discuss the international narcotics traffic as
it affects the three countries.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SEPTEMBER 7, 1971
Secretary
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As you know, the production in Burma is in a
fai'rl'y' remote region, so it is going to' be somewhat more
difficult, but we are going to make every effort to see that
they will cooperate with us.
Q Does your silence about France in the coun-
tries you have just named in helping the United States
mean that you are critical about what the French are doing
up to now?
SECRETARY ROGERS: No, not at all. There are
several other countries I have not.mentioned, in addition
to France. France has been cooperating with us very well,
and-I think there is an awareness on the. part of the French
Government that the problem is an international problem, not
just a problem for the United States. There is no. attempt
at all-to criticize France. I'think France has been very
cooperative.
Q Mr. Secretary, in the working of this, the
nuts and bolts operation, how does it fit in with the new
narcotics control program recently announced?
SECRETARY ROGERS: Well, that program deals with
treatment, rehabilitation and education. This committee
will deal more with law enforcement, diplomacy, intelligence
gathering of information, and cooperation in the United
Nations.
The two will work together. Dr. Jaffe is going to
work very closely with this group, but his function and the
function of his group js somewhat different than the func-
-tion of this cry mittee. '
yours is a policing.', through diplomacy, more
or less?
SECRETARY ROGERS : Well ,- I 'want' to.-'think that one
over. (Laughter)
.Secretary.
Q Don't. let that word "police" floor ycfu, Mr.
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SECRETARY ROGERS: It never has. I'think this is an
effort to enlist-international support to deal with this
extremely difficult, cdmplex.problem. There has been a
feeling, as you know, that this is primarily a problem for the
United States, but-:other