U.S. targets border in drug crackdown
BY SHELDON ALBERTS, CANWEST NEWS SERVICEJUNE 19, 2009
The Obama administration is strengthening efforts to intercept and to break up drug rings smuggling narcotics across the Canada-U.S. border under an agreement announced yesterday that will see a sharp increase in the number of immigration and customs agents conducting raids.
Under the deal, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will have the power to authorize an unlimited number of agents to investigate cross-border drug crimes.
While aimed primarily at helping the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration address the overwhelming challenge of fighting Mexican drug cartels along the country's southwest border, administration officials made it clear they also will be watching the Canada-U.S. boundary.
"Stay tuned. You are going to see a lot more activity," said John Morton, the assistant secretary of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"This is a national effort. We are going to be paying attention to the northern border, and also to our air and maritime ports as well."
The agreement reached yesterday is designed to end decades of turf wars between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Immigration and Customs agents over who has the power to investigate drug trafficking at the country's borders and ports.
The new deal gives Homeland Security the sole discretion to designate as many immigration and customs agents as it needs to take on drug smuggling.
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/targe ... story.html
I hope you're sitting on your brain bucket?
,WHAB
