Counternarcotics and Law Enforcement Country Program: Mexico

Challenges

The success of Mexico’s anti-drug, anti-organized crime, and border security efforts remains critical to the U.S.’ pursuit of national drug control strategy and border security initiatives. With a 2,000-mile long land border with the U.S. and the largest cross-border traffic in the world, Mexico is a natural transshipment point for drugs and other contraband destined for the U.S. and Canada. Some 70 to 90 percent of Latin American illicit drugs enter the U.S. through Mexico and its territorial waters. Even with the Mexico’s major and continuing attack against illicit cultivation (that in 2004 eradicated over 14,700 hectares of opium poppy and over 30,100 hectares of marijuana), Mexico remains one of the principal producers of heroin and marijuana for the U.S. Mexico-based crime organizations control drug trafficking to and within the U.S. and cause considerable violence, corruption, and other crimes in both countries, particularly along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Severe budget constraints, endemic corruption, and inefficiencies within law enforcement and criminal justice institutions, especially at the state and municipal levels, hamper Mexico’s ability to counter drug trafficking and other international crime. However, the Government of Mexico recognizes the threat drug trafficking and consumption pose to national security and public safety, as well as to bilateral and regional interests. Under President Fox, Mexico has sustained an intensive anti-drug effort that has captured major drug cartel figures and seized large amounts of illicit drugs and other criminal resources. The Office of the Attorney General (PGR) and the Mexican Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA) reinforced the capabilities of their institutions and identified and rooted out corruption in many areas. They conducted robust eradication of cannabis and opium poppy crops.

This commitment to combating drug trafficking in all of its forms has moved bilateral cooperation from mutual distrust to unprecedented cooperation.

Key U.S. Counternarcotics Goals

• Support Mexican initiatives to dismantle organized crime organizations, disrupt their criminal activities, and arrest and successfully prosecute those involved (especially drug kingpins, their lieutenants, enforcers, and money launderers); 
  
  
• Promote Mexican criminal justice sector modernization and reform that will reduce corruption and the abuse of authority; 
  
  
• Improve Mexican control of its borders (especially with the U.S.), territorial waters and airspace to prevent criminals from smuggling drugs, weapons, or other contraband into Mexico or through Mexico into the U.S.; 
  
  
• Enhance bilateral cooperation and coordination to reduce the flow of drugs, weapons, and other trafficked items between Mexico and the U.S.; 
  
  
• Strengthen controls in Mexico of money laundering and the application of seizure and forfeiture laws, including legal reforms to permit the sharing of proceeds from seizures and forfeitures with law enforcement agencies; 
  
  
• Encourage an increase in Mexico’s robust eradication of illicit drug crops through use of scientific and technological advances; 
  
  
• Deepen Mexico’s focus and commitment to combat the growing production of methamphetamines, other synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals; 
  
  
• Reduce Mexican domestic demand for illicit drugs and mobilize communities against illicit drugs.

U.S. Programs

U.S. bilateral law enforcement programs promote and support Mexico’s efforts to strengthen the institutional and infrastructure capabilities of its law enforcement and judicial sectors, with a focus on counter-drugs and security along the U.S./Mexico land border zone. The U.S. approach in bilateral programs is to enhance law enforcement cooperation aimed at: pursuing organized criminal elements aggressively; seizing drugs, weapons, explosives, and other illicit contraband that harm U.S. citizens; targeting the financial proceeds of crimes; and strengthening law enforcement and judicial institutions. The following describes principal bilateral program areas that address these key objectives.

The U.S. and Mexican Governments launched the Border Control program following the signing of the bilateral 2002 Border Partnership Accord. Beginning in 2003, U.S. and Mexican partner agencies developed pilot projects to employ modern technology for enhancing Mexico’s ability to detect and seize shipments of potential terrorist weapons, illegal drugs, cash, and other contraband (especially along its common land border with the U.S.) while simultaneously expediting legitimate cross-border movement of bona fide visitors, goods, and services. The activities not only help to strengthen Mexico’s border controls (for example, through use of non-intrusive inspection equipment), but also to enhance bilateral cooperation (such as through use of computer systems for sharing information on airline passengers manifests). Responding to public safety problems along the border, the U.S. also provided safety training and rescue equipment to Mexican border personnel. The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) continues to build on these bilateral programs.

Programs in this area provide material and technical assistance, including professional development, to Mexican law enforcement offices and programs, with a major focus on the Office of the Mexican Attorney General (PGR). The objective is to improve the institutional capability of criminal investigators, prosecutors, and criminal experts from Mexican federal, state, and municipal investigative, prosecutorial, and judicial institutions to act effectively against drug trafficking and other organized crime activities, including terrorism. Projects in these programs include professionalization and training, equipment and infrastructure support, assistance for illicit drug crop eradication and drug interdiction, technical and logistical aviation support, efforts to strengthen money laundering controls, anti-corruption initiatives, and the "Culture of Lawfulness" program (a school-based initiative to instill greater respect for the rule of law).

Increasing domestic drug consumption in Mexico is a serious social problem and offers a profitable, growing market for drug traffickers. Bilateral programs focus on public information and drug prevention education to target high-risk populations, principally in urban areas and in communities along the common border. The projects support community-based, non-governmental organizations working to get young people off the streets, away from drug abuse and crime, and involved in healthy alternative activities. Material support includes printed material and outreach programs, as well as a curriculum for drug abuse and crime prevention. The U.S. also supports a small community-based program in Ciudad Juarez that assists victims of domestic violence associated with partners who abuse alcohol or illicit drugs.