Counternarcotics and Law Enforcement Country Program: Brazil

Challenges

Brazil is a transit country for cocaine base moving from other Andean cultivation areas to processing laboratories in Colombia. Although Brazil is not a significant drug-producing country, it is the only country that borders all three coca-producing countries in the Andes -- Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia. The sparsely populated Amazon region comprises more than one half of the country, which has long, porous borders. This makes Brazil a conduit for cocaine from the source countries to North America, Europe, and Brazilian cities. Brazil has relatively well-developed communications, infrastructure, and banking services that, together with major international airports and seaports, makes it a desirable transit route for illicit narcotics bound for the U.S. and European markets. These factors, coupled with increasingly successful enforcement efforts in neighboring Andean countries, contribute to a growing drug transit problem in Brazil.

U.S. Counternarcotics Goals

By assisting Brazil to improve its law enforcement capabilities, the U.S. will diminish the flow of illicit drugs passing through Brazil to the U.S., as well as have an impact on illegal arms shipments and money laundering in Brazil. Counternarcotics goals in Brazil include:

• Reinforce Brazil’s efforts to improve the institutional capabilities of the Federal Police to disrupt the activities of major trafficking organizations, interdict illegal drugs, and control precursor chemicals;
  
  
• Support programs to enhance the ability of the criminal justice system to arrest, investigate, prosecute, convict, and sentence drug traffickers; and to dismantle international criminal organizations;
  
  
• Work to improve the effectiveness of Brazilian organizations that seek to reduce drug abuse and decrease the domestic demand for drugs; and
  
  
• Assist Brazilian efforts to analyze illegal drug use and reduce consumption of illegal drugs in Brazil.

U.S. Programs

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) counternarcotics assistance for narcotics law enforcement is designed to secure Brazil’s borders in order to combat the transit of illegal narcotics in Brazilian territory. INL programs prevent precursor chemicals and arms produced in Brazil from being shipped to Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia. INL resources assist state law enforcement agencies and the Federal Police through training and acquisition of basic law enforcement equipment. Finally, INL support reinforces Brazil’s efforts to combat money laundering, promote public awareness, and support demand reduction programs.

INL funding provides operational support and equipment to the Brazilian Federal Police to conduct more effective investigations and interdiction operations. Programs continue to build on training to enhance port and airport security, and to other illegal activities such as arms trafficking, chemical diversion, and money laundering. INL also supports Operation COBRA, an ambitious Brazilian Government effort that allocates greater resources in the Amazonian border area for security and illegal narcotics control. INL also supports other border programs with Peru, Venezuela, and Bolivia.

INL programs also promote improved coordination of counternarcotics activities within Brazil’s law enforcement community. Funds provide equipment and training to Brazilian state, civil, and military police forces and may also include training for community-oriented police forces. Finally, INL assistance supports demand reduction and education programs throughout the country that promote awareness of problems associated with drug abuse.