FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF NARCOTICS MATTERS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83T00951R000100130001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 17, 2007
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 2, 1982
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2007/04/1a CCIIA-RDP83T00951R000100130001-2
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National Intelligence Council
2 September 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
THROUGH : Acting Chairman, National Intelligence Council
FROM : David D. Gries
National Intelligence Officer for East Asia
SUBJECT : First Impressions of Narcotics Matters
1. During my first few weeks as NIO/Narcotics, I have met most of the
principal players in the field, completed some reading, and reached a few
tentative conclusions. In the months ahead I will try to c'rnfirm these
conclusions and define some possible remedies.
2. First, within the CIA:
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-- DDI/CPAS rarely uses narcotics items in the NID and PDB, though some
are sent up for review. The NID and PDB are useful togle. to On he
policy community that CIA is doing more on narcotics. 5X1
agrees. We will try to identify suitable items and push them.
-- DDI/OGI has done a good job on assessing crop production. They are
now interested in, and should be supported in, expanding into studies
of capital flows and assessments of the effectiveness of host
governments in stopping narcotics production and trafficking. ~X1
C1
DDI's regional offices should support OGI's move into captial flows
and government effectivness assessments. OGI will also need
additional resources, perhaps reprogrammed in FY 83, to do this job.
-- The DDT's principal narcotics effort is centered in OGI 1 Otill
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3. Second, within the Intelligence Community:
-- An Intelligence Community on narcotics does not really exist. The
ODI and DOO represent themselves separately to outside agencies.
Moreover, despite serious narcotics abuse problems in the military,
DIA is not.engaged in narcotics research. DEA is not a member of the
Intelligence Community but probably should be. INR is only
peripherally involved.
-- There are several ways to bring the Intelligenc' Community together
on narcotics and hopefully soon, so that you can talk about it on the
Hill when you go there next:
First, the Community should meet regularly. The easiest way to
accomplish this is to institute monthly warning meetings for 'It
narcotics. These warning meetings should assess looming problems
and collection requirements. State welcomes this proposal.
There is no record of Intelligence Community production on
narcotics, yet it would seem at a minimum that an NIE on world
coca and opium production would be quite useful. Also a SNIE
suggests itself on the dramatic expansion of coca production
throughout northern Latin America and the Caribbean. We have
good intelligence on coca production, but it has not been put
before policymakers. Interagency )roduction on captial flows
might also be a useful future project. There is broad agreement
-- NSC, State, Treasury, Vice President's staff -- on the need
for a coordinated interagency product.
Intelligence Community collection requirements need attention. 25X
5X
IA]thouqh an excellent National
Collection an exists, 0DO and DEA collectors have not followed
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these. system has access to some intelligencJ551
narcotics, but has not been tasked to report on it.
The IC Staff, at your direction, is long range Community
plan on narcotics. I have met with and expect to
coordinate closely. For starters, the Staff will pay particular
attention to Community collection and to budget submissions, whereas
my efforts will be directed towards enhancing CIA's collection and
analysis activities and bringing the Intelligence Community together
on narcotics matters.
4. Third, at the national level:
-- There is a consensus that DEA is an uncomfortable participant in
interagency programs, in part because of resistance to its recent
subordination under the FBI and in part because of DEA's self-image
as a law enforcement organization with little or no intelligence
responsibity. This problem will have to be analyzed and addressed.
-- There is also a consensus that DEA's voluminous operational reporting
(called DEA 6s) contain valuable intelligence which is not now being
shared with the Intelligence Community. This problem must be
addressed and solved, perhaps by loaning 000 reports officers to the
DEA to help them set up a dissemination program.
-- DEA is not .a member of NFIB. This omission should be reexamined.
Some kind of affiliation with NFIB would encourage greater DEA
participation in the workings of the Intelligence Community.
5. I plan to attend regional meetings of narcotics from
various US government agencies 25X1
6. One final reflection. Some customers -- State, the Vice President's
staff, Treasury -- contend that finished intelligence on narcotics has limited
value because it does not meet the needs of the enforcement community. What
they need is analysis -- of new production, of specific channels for capital
flows, of tacit host government support for trafficking -- that directly
supports enforcement. This contention merits further "investigation.
David D. Gries
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