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Strategic Objective

Combat the threat, trafficking, and use of illegal drugs and the diversion of licit drugs

Strategic Objective

Disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations to combat the threat, trafficking, and use of illegal drugs and the diversion of licit drugs

Lead Office: DEA

Themes:

Administration of Justice

DOJ.gov

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Overview
Progress Update

Overview

Progress Update

Strategic Objective Review Summary of Findings: On track and making satisfactory progress

The Department’s successes against dismantling and disrupting CPOT-linked drug trafficking organizations have resulted in keeping multi-ton quantities of illegal drugs from ever entering the United States. Since 2003, OCDETF components have identified and targeted 188 CPOTS. In FY 2015, DEA, FBI and OCDETF disrupted or dismantled 616 CPOT-linked organizations. Additionally, from FY 2005 – FY 2015, DEA has denied over $33.1 billion in revenue to drug trafficking organizations through asset and drug seizures. Furthermore, OCDETF initiated 964 new cases and continues to maintain an active caseload of nearly 5,000 investigations. On October 15, 2015, the DEA-led fifteen-month operation entitled Project Synergy Phase III, culminated with a

nationwide takedown, which resulted in 151 arrests and the seizure of $15,013,522; 316 kilograms of synthetic cathinones; 3,058 kilograms of synthetic cannabinoids; 98 kilograms of treated plant material; 7,314 kilograms of synthetic cannabinoid packs (filled); and 39 weapons. Since its initiation in December 2012, DEA’s Project Synergy overall efforts have resulted in 580 arrests and the seizure of $160,013,522 in cash/assets; 1,130 kilograms of synthetic cathinones; 9,190 kilograms of synthetic cannabinoids; 98 kilograms of treated plant material; and 53 tons of synthetic cannabinoid packs (filled).

Two other notable investigations, Project Rolling Thunder and Operation Black ICE have also been successful in combatting illicit drug enterprises. As of FY2015, Project Rolling Thunder resulted in 1,506 arrests and the seizure of 1,004 kilograms of cocaine, $23.1 million in currency, 303 pounds of heroin, 4,311 pounds of marijuana, 376 pounds of methamphetamine and 267 weapons. In Operation Black ICE, Homeland Security Investigations-ICE, ATF, and DEA, working with Washington state and local police agencies, targeted an organization that smuggled drugs from Mexico into the U.S. Following a lengthy investigation, the organization’s leader and 29 conspirators were arrested, agents seized multiple kilos of heroin, pounds of methamphetamine, and more than a dozen firearms, including military-style assault rifles bound for cartel members in Mexico. To assist agents and investigations, the Department improved its deconfliction efforts by requiring law enforcement components to conduct investigative data and target deconfliction through the DEA Internet Connectivity Endeavor and by formalizing the process of event deconfliction with regional deconfliction systems. For DEA’s international partners, the relationship has been strengthened in FY 2015 by providing training to 3,691 international students and developing new curricula to respond to current trafficking situations, new technologies, and specific requests from host nation governments. The conviction rate for those individuals in all investigations remains in excess of 90 percent.

Significant challenges still exist in this area, including the rise in marijuana, heroin, synthetic drug and prescription drug abuse; changes in state drug laws, such as those for marijuana which conflict with federal laws; and the Department’s ability to hire and train new employees caused by attrition and the Department’s hiring freeze. Investigations are increasingly more complex, requiring more sophisticated investigative techniques - such as the use of electronic surveillance. The use of virtual payment systems and global consumer markets in cyber space make it difficult to identify, target, and investigate drug organizations. In addition, foreign partners often lack the capacity to combat the drug trade in their own countries, creating a heavy reliance for assistance by the United States.

The Department is committed to continuing its focus on the most significant drug trafficking organizations by rigorously implementing drug control strategies, disrupting domestic drug trafficking and domestic production, strengthening international partnerships, and improving information systems for analysis, assessment, and local management. The Department will continue to provide leadership and coordination of comprehensive, multi-jurisdictions investigations and conduct intelligence efforts to identify actionable leads. The Department will also continue setting ambitious targets for dismantling and disrupting CPOT/Regional Priority Organization Target-linked drug trafficking organizations and ensure accountability for reporting these measures.

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Strategic Goals

Strategic Goal:

Prevent Crime, Protect the Rights of the American People, and Enforce Federal Law

Statement:

Prevent Crime, Protect the Rights of the American People, and Enforce Federal Law

Strategic Objectives

Combat the threat, incidence, and prevalence of violent crime

Statement:

Combat the threat, incidence, and prevalence of violent crime by leveraging strategic partnerships to investigate, arrest, and prosecute violent offenders and illegal firearms traffickers

Description:

Violent crime remains a serious problem in many rural and urban areas and throughout much of Indian Country. It continues to inflict a heavy toll on communities across America, limiting the quality of life for U.S. citizens, paralyzing neighborhoods, and stretching state and local law enforcement resources to their limits.

The vast majority of violent crime in this country falls within the jurisdiction of state and local agencies, and the vast majority of resources to combat it are provided by state and local governments. While some cities are well-equipped to handle issues involving violent gangs, many smaller cities and towns are easily overwhelmed by the violence and criminal activity that gangs bring to their communities. Each community faces different challenges that will require different solutions.

The Department will combat violent crime through vigorous investigation and prosecution of those who engage in violent criminal acts. It will work with its law enforcement partners at the federal, state, local, tribal, and international level to combat all types of violence, from the neighborhood-based street gangs, to increasingly brutal and prevalent violence along the Southwest Border, to the transnational gangs operating throughout the United States and abroad, to violent criminals seeking haven in the United States. It will also employ a comprehensive strategy that focuses on investigation, prosecution, and prevention efforts to address violence in America.

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FY 14-15 Priority Goal: Violent Crime

Statement:

Violent Crime: Protect our Communities by Reducing Gun Violence by using smart prevention and investigative strategies in order to prevent violent acts from occurring.

By September, 30, 2015, the Department of Justice will:

Increase the number of records submitted to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Index by states and federal agencies by 10%;
Increase the number of records entered into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) by 3%; and
Increase the number of NIBIN “hits”, that is, the linkage of two or more separate crime scene investigations, based upon comparisons of the markings made on fired ammunition recovered from crime scenes by 3%.

Description:

The Violent Crime Priority Goal supports the Administration’s plan to protect our communities by reducing gun violence with smart prevention and investigative strategies in order to prevent violent acts from occurring. Gun-related violence continues to constitute a serious threat to public safety throughout the United States. While data shows that overall violent crime in the United States has decreased in the past thirty years, many communities continue to experience high levels of gun violence. The Department recognizes that the challenges confronting each community are different and require solutions tailored to each community’s needs. The Department will focus its actions and resources on 1) gun-violence prevention, by effecting an increase in the number of records submitted to NICS Index, which in turn supports the Department’s efforts to accurately and expeditiously identify persons who are legally prohibited from possessing firearms and (2) enhanced and more effective investigation by substantially increasing the number of records entered into NIBIN that contribute to investigative leads. Collectively, accomplishment of these goals will demonstrate and facilitate our progress in preventing and investigating gun-related violent crime.

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Prevent and intervene in crimes against vulnerable populations

Statement:

Prevent and intervene in crimes against vulnerable populations and uphold the rights of, and improve services to, America’s crime victims

Description:

The Department must continue to be vigilant in supporting and protecting the most vulnerable segments of our population that may fall victim to crime. Children are the most vulnerable and most exploited members of our society. The criminal victimization of children impacts not only the children, but also their families, community, and society at large.

Unfortunately, children are but one segment of society that is at risk. In the United States and across the globe, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking occur in all ages, races, socioeconomic classes, genders, and sexual orientations. Research shows that these crimes are overwhelmingly committed against women. In addition, elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation is an area that has been overlooked but research suggests it is an ongoing problem in the United States. Further, victims of crime committed on tribal lands is also an area that has been overlooked for far too long as research suggests violent crime rates may be two, four, and in some cases, 10 times the national average.

The Department continues to stress efforts to reduce and respond to violence against vulnerable populations. In April of 2013, the Department issued a revised Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Protocol to standardize up-to-date approaches to victim-centered forensic medical examinations. DOJ will also work with the FBI to support states’ implementation of the revised Uniform Crime Report definition of “rape.” As part of the Attorney General’s Defending Childhood Initiative, the Department will: launch a public awareness and community action campaign to stem youth violence; establish a Task Force on American Indian/Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence; and partner with select states to form “State Commissions” that will implement model public policy initiatives at the state and local level to reduce the impact of children’s exposure to violence.

All victims deserve to be treated with respect and support. The Department will address the needs of victims by investigating and prosecuting matters impacting vulnerable groups while leading the way in providing innovative training, resources, and support to victims of crime.

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FY 14-15 Priority Goal: Vulnerable People

Statement:

Vulnerable People: Protect vulnerable populations by increasing the number of investigations and litigation matters concerning child exploitation, human trafficking, and non-compliant sex offenders; and by improving programs to prevent victimization, identify victims, and provide services.

By September 30, 2015, working with federal, state, local, and tribal partners, protect potential victims from abuse and exploitation through three sets of key indicators:

Open investigations concerning non-compliant sex offenders (4% over average of FYs 2012, 2013), sexual exploitation of children (3% over average of FYs 2011, 2012, 2013), and human trafficking (2% over FY 2013).
Open litigation matters concerning sexual exploitation of children and human trafficking (5% increase over baseline (TBD))
Percent of children recovered within 72 hours of issuance of an AMBER alert (90%)

Description:

The abuse, neglect, exploitation, and trafficking of children, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations, causes irrevocable harm to victims and society. Ensuring that our children, seniors, and all citizens can live without being disturbed by sexual trauma, physical abuse, or financial exploitation is more than a criminal justice issue; it is a societal and moral imperative. Despite efforts to date, the threat of these crimes remains very real. In the broadest terms, the goal of the Department of Justice (the Department or DOJ) is to prevent child sexual exploitation, elder abuse, and human trafficking from occurring in the first place, in order to protect every person from the physical and mental traumas associated with these crimes.

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Combat the threat, trafficking, and use of illegal drugs and the diversion of licit drugs

Statement:

Disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations to combat the threat, trafficking, and use of illegal drugs and the diversion of licit drugs

Description:

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Investigate and prosecute corruption, economic crimes, and transnational organized crime

Statement:

Investigate and prosecute corruption, economic crimes, and transnational organized crime

Description:

The Nation’s recent economic crisis has had significant and devastating effects on mortgage markets, credit markets, and the banking system. The Department will protect Americans from the financial fraud and corruption that devastates consumers, siphons taxpayer dollars, weakens our markets, and impedes our ongoing economic recovery. The impact of financial crime is not confined to Wall Street – and many times the victims of fraud have worked hard and played by established investment rules, only to see their retirement and life savings vanish at the hands of white-collar criminals. Additionally, the rapid expansion of Internet use throughout the Nation, including business and government, creates a continually growing risk of unlawful acts. The Department will focus its white collar enforcement resources on these areas of potential fraud and associated corruption.

These offenses represent separate and very severe threats to the United States’ economy. The corruption of federal, state, and locally elected, appointed, or contracted officials, whether foreign or domestic, undermines democratic institutions and may threaten the condition of the economy, public safety, and national security, while wasting many taxpayer dollars. As businesses, governments, educational institutions, and individual citizens continue to integrate the Internet and other global network computer systems, extortionists, hostile insiders, identity thieves, and other criminals have new opportunities and new venues to commit unlawful acts. The increased presence of fraud such as corporate fraud, securities fraud, healthcare fraud, and mortgage fraud have escalated and will continue to hamper economic recovery and persist long after any recovery occurs. IP crime poses a grave threat to the country’s economic well-being, as well as the health and safety of U.S. citizens. Finally, transnational crime has expanded dramatically in size, scope, and influence, and transnational criminal networks pose a significant threat to national and international security. In response, the Department will implement actions to support the Administration’s Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime, which seeks to build, balance, and integrate the tools of American power to combat transnational organized crime and related threats to national security and urge America’s foreign partners to do the same.

The Department will pursue fraud and corruption committed against the Federal Government and state and local governments and their programs and will protect consumers through vigorous investigations and civil and criminal enforcement of federal laws. These efforts will return significant amounts to the Treasury, Medicare, and other entitlement programs every year and provide deterrence to those contemplating defrauding federal programs, businesses, and individual citizens.

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FY 14-15 Priority Goal: Financial and Healthcare Fraud

Statement:

Financial-Healthcare Fraud: Reduce financial and healthcare fraud. By September 30, 2015, the Department of Justice will: reduce by 3 percent the number of financial and healthcare fraud investigations pending longer than 2 years to efficiently and effectively drive those investigations to resolution.

Description:

The recent financial crisis, which has impacted every American, has resulted in fraud and deception in the finance and housing markets as well as fraudulent schemes that misuse the public’s unprecedented investment in economic recovery. Criminals who commit mortgage fraud, securities and commodities fraud, and other types of fraud relating to the response to the economic crisis, victimize the American public as a whole. Similarly, those who defraud Medicare, Medicaid, and other government health care programs defraud every American. In particular, health care fraudsters take critical resources out of our health care system—thus contributing to the rising cost of health care for all Americans and endangering the short-term and long-term solvency of these essential health care programs. The Department will continue to address these critical problems by vigorously investigating and prosecuting both health care fraud and financial fraud, in order to protect American businesses, consumers, and taxpayers.

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Promote and protect American civil rights

Statement:

Promote and protect American civil rights by preventing and prosecuting discriminatory practices

Description:

The Department is committed to upholding the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, including the most vulnerable members of society. Federal civil rights statutes reflect some of America’s highest ideals and aspirations – equal treatment and equal justice under law. These statutes not only aim to protect the civil rights of racial and ethnic minorities, but also of members of religious minorities, women, persons with disabilities, service members, individuals housed in public institutions, and individuals who come from other nations and speak other languages. The Department will enforce, defend, and advance civil rights through a multi-faceted approach of litigation, prevention efforts, outreach initiatives, and technical assistance. The Department will work with the Congress, other federal agencies and partnerships, as well as through legislative, regulatory, and policy development. The Department addresses discrimination and promotes equal opportunity in a broad range of areas, including the workplace, schools and higher education institutions, housing, courts, prisons and detention facilities, police departments, and mental health facilities; in voting and immigration-related practices; and in institutions receiving federal financial assistance. The Department also ensures that private institutions of public accommodation comport with applicable federal civil rights laws.

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Protect the federal fisc and defend the interests of the United States

Statement:

Protect the federal fisc and defend the interests of the United States

Description:

The Department of Justice is the Nation’s largest law office and chief litigator. The Department is involved in both defending and representing hundreds of United States’ agencies, offices, and employees; in defending against myriad challenges to federal laws, programs, and policies; and in protecting the integrity of the Nation’s antitrust laws and bankruptcy system. This work is critical to protecting the federal fisc against unwarranted monetary claims and to ensuring the United States can continue to protect the Nation’s security, maintain civil law and order, and ensure public safety. Accordingly, the Department will continue to fulfill these responsibilities by defending the Federal Government against monetary claims and challenges to its jurisdiction and authority, including the constitutionality of statutes passed by Congress.

Defensive litigation impacts virtually every aspect of the Federal Government’s operations. The Department represents over 200 federal agencies, the U.S. Congress, and the federal treasury in litigation arising from a broad range of monetary claims against the government, including legal action related to domestic and foreign operations, American Indian litigation, commercial activities, entitlement programs, internal revenue activities, and environmental and conservation laws. The potential cost to the government and federal tax payers from these matters could be substantial, but through rigorous and fair representation, DOJ will continue to mitigate any potential losses and protect federal monies.

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Agency Priority Goals

FY 14-15: Violent Crime

Statement:

Violent Crime: Protect our Communities by Reducing Gun Violence by using smart prevention and investigative strategies in order to prevent violent acts from occurring.

By September, 30, 2015, the Department of Justice will:

Increase the number of records submitted to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Index by states and federal agencies by 10%;
Increase the number of records entered into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) by 3%; and
Increase the number of NIBIN “hits”, that is, the linkage of two or more separate crime scene investigations, based upon comparisons of the markings made on fired ammunition recovered from crime scenes by 3%.

Description:

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FY 14-15: Financial and Healthcare Fraud

Statement:

Description:

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FY 14-15: Vulnerable People

Statement:

By September 30, 2015, working with federal, state, local, and tribal partners, protect potential victims from abuse and exploitation through three sets of key indicators:

Open investigations concerning non-compliant sex offenders (4% over average of FYs 2012, 2013), sexual exploitation of children (3% over average of FYs 2011, 2012, 2013), and human trafficking (2% over FY 2013).
Open litigation matters concerning sexual exploitation of children and human trafficking (5% increase over baseline (TBD))
Percent of children recovered within 72 hours of issuance of an AMBER alert (90%)

Description:

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