History

DEA History

Since its founding in 1973 the mission of the DEA has been to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States, and bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States, or any competent jurisdiction, organizations and their principal members involved in the growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances appearing, in or destined for, illicit traffic in the United States, and recommend and support non-enforcement programs aimed at reducing availability of illicit controlled substances.

On this page you can read how DEA and its people have fulfilled this mission over the past five decades, and the important work of our predecessor agencies during “The Early Years” of federal drug law enforcement in the United States.

DEA History In Depth

The Early Years

Covers the years of drug law enforcement leading up to the creation of DEA

1970-1975

DEA Officially established by President Nixon

1975-1980

DEA's First publication to address drugs at a child's level

1980-1985

First Lady Nancy Regan at "Just Say No " rally at the White House

1985-1990

The National Red Ribbon Campaign was sparked by the murder of DEA Special Agent Enrique Camarena by drug traffickers.

1990-1994

DEA instituted the Kingpin Strategy that focused investigative and enforcement efforts on specific drug trafficking organizations.

1994-1998

DEA Assist with security during the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta, GA

1999-2003

The DEA Laboratory System established a program in 1990 to address environmental concerns from the clean up of clandestine drug laboratories

2003-2008

DEA agents seized several loads of marijuana and Ecstasy that conspirators tried to move through one of 34 U.S.-Canadian cross-border tunnels discovered on July 21, 2005.

2009-2013

Extradition of Miguel Caro-Quintero (2009) head of the family drug trafficking organization responsible for trafficking multi-ton quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana into the U.S.