Summary

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information regarding law enforcement personnel and equipment assigned to the southwestern U.S. border and drug seizures since July 1, 1986, under Operation Alliance.

GAO found that: (1) it could not clearly distinguish Operation Alliance activities from other existing law enforcement activities along the border, since participating agencies do not specifically identify their efforts with the operation; (2) the participating agencies placed about 1,090 additional law enforcement personnel in California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas between July 1986 and October 1987; (3) the Customs Service has placed 11 interdiction aircraft and 12 boats along the border since July 1986; and (4) from July 1986 through December 1987, the participating agencies seized 199,196 kilograms of marijuana, 15,526 kilograms of cocaine, and 100 kilograms of heroin.