Clinton Plan To Fight Drug Smuggling Outlined

The White House on Friday outlined its plan “to shut the door” on drugs from the Mexican border, calling for an increase in Border Patrol agents and the use of advanced technology.

“We think this is the blueprint for what we’re going to try to accomplish. And we have told the Congress - and I would suggest to you that what you need to do is hold us accountable by seeing if what we do in the next three years supports the strategy,” said Barry McCaffrey, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

President Clinton’s budget proposal requests $17 billion to fight drugs, the largest ever presented to Congress. It is a $1 billion increase over last year.

Taking aim at the border, the proposal calls for $163 million for the Border Patrol to hire 1,000 new officers, $54 million for advanced technology such as sophisticated X-ray systems and remote video surveillance, and $75.4 million to stem drug manufacturing and smuggling in the Andean region driven by international criminal organizations …”

Mexico, which has bristled at U.S. criticism, must face annual certification from the State Department that it is cooperating with American anti-drug efforts. Last year, Mexico received harsh criticism from Congress after the nation’s chief drug czar was found to be helping its biggest drug smuggler.

“Although they’ve arrested some of their mid-level cartel leadership and driven others into hiding, it’s still a very serious situation,” McCaffrey said. But, he added, it is “a dangerous environment in both countries.”