Losing the High-Tech ‘War on Drugs’

Re “Cocaine Traffic to U.S. Finds Holes in High-Tech ‘Fence,’ ” June 9: “Intelligence is the entire key to the whole . . . thing,” says Don Ferrarone of the DEA. How bitterly true.

The “war on drugs” costs $38 billion to $50 billion each year. This war costs an untold number of lives lost, and lives wasted in prison. This war requires an immense effort from many, many men; police, FBI, military and the DEA.

And this war is lost! We thought we could eliminate an immensely profitable business simply by forbidding it. It didn’t work with the alcohol business and it doesn’t work with the drug business. We must eliminate the profits.

By so doing, all the cartel people, the pushers, the little dealers on the street will have to find something else to do. And that, of course, is where “intelligence is the key.”

DEANE BOTTORF

Corona del Mar

* So the Pentagon alone has spent $7 billion on fighting drugs--although officials are admirably trying to do a good job, they seem to acknowledge that they aren’t changing anything.

Hey, Congress, I just found a source of funds to help pay for our Social Security and Medicare that you say is underfunded! It’s all priorities, isn’t it? So don’t even think of trying to tell us there isn’t enough money to cover taxpayers’ Social Security and Medicare! (If the $7 billion isn’t enough, get the rest from any other agency that isn’t making a dent in its mission and from foreign aid that we so readily have available for other countries, including ones where dictators keep the moola.)

DONNA HILL

Laguna Niguel

* In 1989, Congress directed that the Department of Defense (DOD) be the lead agency for detection and monitoring of international drug smuggling--focusing principally on air smuggling. The department’s mission is to use our unique assets and personnel skills to support law enforcement efforts against drug traffickers. We have largely accomplished this mission.

Over the last three years, DOD invested in and maintained an effective, flexible capability largely based upon the use of radar systems. Our efforts in this area have caused a 65% decrease in air smuggling through the Caribbean and Central America from 1992.

Among the most critical assets allowing us to detect and monitor air smuggling throughout the Caribbean and Central America are two Relocatable Over the Horizon Radars (ROTHRs). To date in FY ‘96, the ROTHRs initially detected approximately 60% of all known air smuggling events and participated in the monitoring of over 85% of all known air smuggling events throughout the Caribbean and Central America. Among its capabilities is the detection of fast-moving jet aircraft. However, this radar system is largely dependent on cuing information to distinguish these fast-moving aircraft from other passenger jets. ROTHR was never intended to cover central-to-northern Mexico, as your article suggests, because cocaine predominantly is shipped to Mexico by fishing and fast boats and moved north by land transport.

The non-intrusive cargo inspection X-ray system mentioned in your article provides an exceptional capability. In the last six months alone, the X-ray site in Otay Mesa contributed to the seizure of over 1,700 kilograms (2,800 pounds) of drugs coming through this port of entry. Although these systems may have limitations, they allow us to inspect a much greater number of the trucks coming through the ports of entry.

Our nation’s drug problem is complicated. However, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to shield America’s air, land and sea frontiers from the drug threat and unwavering in our efforts to reduce the demand for drugs within our own borders.

BRIAN E. SHERIDAN

Acting Principal Deputy

DOD, Washington