The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) enforces the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States by bringing to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States, or any other competent jurisdiction, those organizations and principal members of organizations involved in the growth, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for the illicit traffic in the United States; and to recommend and support non-enforcement programs aimed at reducing the availability of illicit controlled substances on the domestic and information markets.
DEA maintains investigative and intelligence files of criminal activities related to illicit drug traffic and drug abuse. It also keeps various records pertaining to the administration of DEA.
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (U.S. Code § 552) provides for public access to government records through written request. The DEA generally follows the guidelines set forth by the Department of Justice in its FOIA section.
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (Title 5 U.S.C. § 552) generally provides that any person has a right, enforceable in court, to obtain access to federal agency records, except to the extent that such records (or portions of them) are protected from public disclosure by one of nine exemptions, or by one of three special law enforcement record exclusions.
Publicly available information for which a FOIA request is not required: Certain manuals, pamphlets on drugs and other DEA programs published by DEA’s Office of Public Affairs.
Before making a FOIA request, you should first browse the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website which may contain the information you are looking to obtain.
NOTE: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, DEA has adjusted its normal operations to balance the need of completing its mission as effectively and efficiently as possible while also adhering to the recommended social distancing for the safety of our staff. As a result, you may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgment as well as a substantive response to your FOIA request. We will be able to acknowledge requests made electronically more quickly than by mail. You may reach out to our FOIA Requester Service Center and FOIA Public Liaison at (202) 307-7596 if you have any questions about your request. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience.
