Drug Interdiction
The interdiction of illicit drugs into the United States is the effort to seize them, together with the transport and/or persons that carry them on their way from the producing country to the importing country; many of the SEIZURES occur just as the drugs are brought across the border. The principal drugs subject to U.S. interdiction are COCAINE and MARIJUANA, both of which are imported primarily from Latin America. The United States, uniquely among modern nations, has made interdiction a significant part of its effort to control the supply of drugs, at least for cocaine and marijuana, since about 1975. In addition to other federal agencies, it has involved the military in this effort. Though interdictors have seized large quantities of drugs, there are still numerous questions about the effectiveness of the program as a method of reducing the use of drugs, particularly cocaine.
Goals
Interdiction has two general goals. The primary one is to reduce the consumption of specific drugs within the nation by making it more expensive and risky for smugglers to conduct their business. Drug seizures raise costs by increasing the amount that has to be shipped in order to ensure that a given quantity will reach the market.
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