Just the Facts: International Narcotics Control

last updated:9/20/06

INC (also known as INL and INCLE): International Narcotics Control
(Incorporates the "Andean Counter-Drug Initiative")

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Program description / Law | Total INC funding by country / program | Other sites

Program description

Law

Within the Department of State, the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) designs and carries out international counternarcotics policy and programs, while advising and coordinating other U.S. agencies' overseas anti-drug activities. INL provides aid and training to the governments and security forces of countries in which drugs are produced or transported.

INL's program combines economic and security assistance, aiding civilian and military agencies with counternarcotics responsibilities. Types of aid include training, technical assistance, equipment and arms transfers, development assistance (particularly "alternative development" aid to encourage cultivation of legal crops), and aid to administration of justice and domestic drug demand-reduction programs. State Department INL officials themselves may manage assistance programs, or INL funds may be transferred to other government agencies like US Agency for International Development or the Drug Enforcement Administration.

INL's budget saw an enormous increase in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when funding for Latin America roughly tripled after Congress approved the "Plan Colombia" aid package. Since 2000, funding has continued at this higher level.

Since 2002, INL aid to Colombia and six of its neighbors (Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela), has been presented to Congress as a separate account called the "Andean Counterdrug Initiative" or ACI. Though this aid is separated out for presentation purposes, the ACI is identical to other INL aid in both its nature and its administration.

An Interregional Aviation program, managed by INL, uses U.S.-owned aircraft, and contractor or host-country pilots, to perform aerial counter-drug reconnaissance and crop eradication. This program focuses on Colombia, Bolivia and Peru.

INL's Anti-Crime program provides law enforcement training and technical assistance to about 150 countries worldwide. These programs are often carried out by other agencies such as Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Customs Service, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

INL works with international organizations as well. It is the largest contributor to the Organization of American States Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) and supports the implementation of the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (MEM).

The 2006 INL budget justification also addressed INL's role in counterterrorism efforts, explaining that "to deal with the increasing linkage and overlap among drug, crime, and terrorist groups, INL has begun shifting from separate programs for counternarcotics and anticrime to a broader and more integrated law enforcement effort to combat the full range of criminal, drug, and terrorist threats."

The INC program is authorized by section 481 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (P.L. 87-195, or the "FAA"), as amended. Section 481 authorizes the President "to furnish assistance to any country or international organization, on such terms and conditions as he may determine, for the control of narcotic and psychotropic drugs and other controlled substances, or for other anticrime purposes." The law makes the Secretary of State responsible for coordinating this assistance.

Limitations

Like all security assistance programs funded through the Foreign Operations appropriation, INC is subject to the human rights restrictions found in the Leahy Law.

Reports

The laws which authorize the INC program require regular reporting to Congress about its activities. The most extensive of these reports is the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) required by section 489 of the Foreign Assistance Act. The INCSR discusses certification decisions, narcotics activity, and U.S. programs in each drug source or transit country. It must be submitted every March 1 to the Speaker of the House and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Notification

The Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) also requires that Congress be notified if certain actions are taken within the INC program.

According to section 482(b) of the FAA, INC can only supply weapons or ammunition if they are to be used:

For the defensive arming of aircraft that are used for counternarcotics purposes; or
For defensive purposes by State Department employees or contract personnel engaged in counternarcotics activities.

These transfers cannot take place until fifteen days after the President notifies the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, the House International Relations Committee, and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Section 484(a) of the FAA specifies that aircraft provided to foreign countries through the INC program must be either leased or loaned. The President may grant aircraft through INC, however, by determining that a lease or loan would be "contrary to the national interest of the United States."

The aircraft cannot be transferred until fifteen days after the President notifies the same congressional committees.

According to section 488 of the FAA, INC funds cannot be obligated for construction until fifteen days after the President notifies the congressional committees.

[The International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) is available online at the State Department's website.]

INC Total Budget, 1995-2006 Jump to: Military and Police Aid \| Economic and Social Aid \| Program Support \| Grand Total \| Sources
In thousands of U.S. dollars
Click on year for source information; click on country or program name for table of program expenses.

	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
	Actual	Actual	Actual	Actual	Actual	Actual	Actual	Actual	Actual	Actual	Estimate	Request
Military and Police Aid
The Bahamas	355	415	100	415	510	823	811	720	638	520	120	120
Bolivia	13,300	17,950	22,997	30,720	53,450	26,861	41,531	43,275	43,141	42,501	49,406	54,490
Brazil	0	350	175	646	4,443	1,380	5,100	5,080	9,280	8,028	4,940	2,800
Colombia	13,500	31,450	58,300	197,910	666,250	42,350	253,000	433,500	332,621	336,107	371,978	366,550
Ecuador	243	275	190	765	12,665	1,650	13,775	14,025	18,753	9,867	7,135	7,800
Guatemala	1,525	1,210	1,155	2,075	1,935	1,810	2,070	1,341	1,650	2,087	1,060	990
Haiti	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	14,175	9,280
Jamaica	300	450	465	690	600	0	1,106	860	1,080	1,070	440	400
Mexico	2,950	0	1,889	5,600	1,450	10,850	33,050	4,714	29,295	31,248	26,350	26,600
Panama	0	0	0	0	4,617	853	3,749	3,417	3,787	3,240	2,450	2,250
Peru	12,350	8,975	13,245	43,572	48,710	17,010	65,000	51,500	56,635	47,813	45,320	45,069
Venezuela	125	275	205	278	3,765	550	2,500	770	1,860	1,451	824	75
International Law Enforcement Academies	0	0	0	0	0	0	2,090	2,896	1,195	475	1,900	2,750
Regional Programs	3,708	5,100	4,000	24,500	14,806	7,085	12,900	4,805	3,529	2,000	1,475	1,000

Military and Police Aid Subtotal:	48,356	66,450	102,721	307,171	813,201	111,222	446,682	566,903	503,464	486,407	527,573	520,174
Percentage of grand total:	54%	43%	57%	72%	65%	47%	58%	61%	59%	58%	60%	62%

Economic and Social Aid
	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The Bahamas	145	185	60	300	200	60	60	50	50	50	0	0
Bolivia	0	25,850	10,000	20,800	101,870	22,400	43,253	44,259	44,409	44,321	38,244	32,200
Brazil	0	50	25	209	228	200	475	500	500	500	500	700
Colombia	500	0	500	5,750	225,050	1,350	115,500	136,700	134,479	131,294	137,177	132,250
Ecuador	0	50	0	420	8,060	52	10,625	16,171	15,512	15,300	12,115	8,700
Guatemala	95	400	435	460	600	650	750	650	725	1,100	715	480
Haiti	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Jamaica	200	0	150	0	44	0	30	32	35	35	50	0
Mexico	500	4,150	2,255	1,535	1,550	2,630	2,476	5,908	6,250	6,696	11,500	9,800
Panama	0	0	0	0	0	200	706	375	1,900	1,950	1,250	1,000
Peru	4,350	15,165	16,755	28,875	28,600	28,300	74,500	73,552	56,155	63,985	57,600	48,731
Venezuela	100	50	110	80	80	200	1,881	505	2,300	725	605	125

Economic and Social Aid Subtotal:	5,890	45,900	30,290	58,429	366,282	56,042	250,256	278,702	262,315	265,956	259,756	233,986
Percentage of grand total:	7%	30%	17%	14%	29%	24%	32%	30%	31%	32%	30%	28%

Program Support
	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The Bahamas	200	200	340	285	290	317	329	330	312	422	375	380
Bolivia	1,700	1,700	2,003	2,480	2,680	2,739	2,816	3,193	3,450	3,450	3,750	3,810
Brazil	290	300	300	345	329	420	425	420	420	400	500	500
Colombia	2,000	2,000	2,200	2,200	3,309	4,300	5,400	6,000	6,800	6,477	7,326	7,400
Ecuador	257	275	310	375	475	498	600	700	735	700	800	800
Guatemala	315	390	410	465	465	540	680	509	625	625	700	730
Haiti	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	675	720
Jamaica	200	50	85	110	156	257	414	308	385	383	500	500
Mexico	700	750	856	865	1,071	1,370	1,474	1,378	1,455	1,736	1,750	1,600
Panama	0	0	0	0	370	310	545	708	800	762	755	750
Peru	1,800	1,700	2,000	2,093	2,690	2,690	3,000	3,000	3,210	3,572	4,000	4,000
Venezuela	275	275	285	342	355	450	619	800	840	800	800	800
Regional Programs	0	0	0	0	0	1,452	1,100	1,695	1,321	1,224	1,000	1,200
Inter-Regional Aviation Programs	25,755	31,500	38,000	51,000	50,000	50,000	60,000	65,000	70,000	66,620	62,865	65,500

Program Support Subtotal:	33,492	39,140	46,789	60,560	62,190	65,343	77,402	84,041	90,353	87,171	85,796	88,690
Percentage of grand total:	37%	26%	26%	14%	5%	28%	10%	9%	11%	10%	10%	10%

Grand Total:	89,734	153,487	181,798	428,159	1,243,673	234,608	776,342	931,649	858,136	841,539	875,131	844,857

Other sites

State Department Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs budget presentations to Congress:
State Department International Narcotics Control Strategy Reports:
- 2006 report covering 2005
- 2005 report
- 2004 report
- 2003 report
- 2002 report
- 2001 report
- 2000 report
- 1999 report
- 1998 report
- 1997 report
General Accounting Office (GAO) reports:
- [Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format] Drug Control: Agencies Need to Plan for Likely Declines in Drug Interdiction Assets, and Develop Better Performance Measures for Transit Zone Operations, November 15, 2005
- [Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format] Drug Control: Air Bridge Denial Program in Colombia Has Implemented New Safeguards, but Its Effect on Drug Trafficking Is Not Clear, September 6, 2005
- [Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format] Drug Control: Aviation Program Safety Concerns in Colombia Are Being Addressed, but State's Planning and Budgeting Process Can Be Improved, July 29, 2004
- [Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format] Drug Control: U.S. Nomilitary Assistance to Colombia Is Beginning to Show Intended Results, but Programs Are Not Readily Sustainable, July 2, 2004
- [Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format] Drug Control: Specific Performance Measures and Long-Term Costs for U.S. Programs in Colombia Have Not Been Developed, June 16, 2003
- [Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format] Testimony of Jess T. Ford, Director, International Affairs and Trade, General Accounting Office, Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, June 3, 2003
- Drug Control: Coca Cultivation and Eradication Estimates in Colombia, January 8, 2003 [Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format]
- GAO briefing paper: Military Assistance Under Plan Colombia is Substantially Behind Schedule, June 2002
- Drug Control: Efforts to Develop Alternatives to Cultivating Illicit Crops in Colombia Have Made Little Progress and Face Serious Obstacles, February 25, 2002 [Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format]
- Drug Control: State Department Provides Required Aviation Program Oversight, but Safety and Security Should Be Enhanced, September 14, 2001 [Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format]
- Foreign Affairs: Internally Displaced Persons Lack Effective Protection, August 17, 2001 [Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format]
- GAO-01-435R "Drug Control: The Department of State's Contract Award for Its Counternarcotics Aviation Program," February 28, 2001 [Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format]
- GAO-01-63BR "Drug Control: International Counterdrug Sites Being Developed," December 20, 2000. [Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format]
- GAO-01-26 "Drug Control: U.S. Assistance to Colombia Will Take Years to Produce Results," October 17, 2000. [Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format]
- GAO-01-76T "Drug Control: Challenges in Implementing Plan Colombia," Statement of Jess T. Ford, director, International Affairs and Trade, U.S. General Accounting Office, October 12, 2000. [Web (.html) format | Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format]
- T-NSIAD-00-77, "Drug Control: DOD Allocates Fewer Assets to Drug Control Efforts," January 27, 2000.
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format
- NSIAD-00-9, "Drug Control: Assets DOD Contributes to Reducing the Illegal Drug Supply Have Declined," December 21, 1999.
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format
- NSIAD-99-136 "Drug Control: Narcotics Threat From Colombia Continues to Grow," June 1999
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format
- T-NSIAD-99-98 "Drug Control: Update on U.S.-Mexican Counternarcotics Activities." 3/4/99.
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format
- NSIAD-98-231 "DOD Counterdrug Activities: Reported Costs Do Not Reflect Extent of DOD's Support." 9/23/98.
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format
- T-NSIAD-98-249 "Drug Control: Observations on U.S. Counternarcotics Activities." Testimony, 9/16/98.
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format
- NSIAD-98-154 "Drug Control: U.S.-Mexican Counternarcotics Efforts Face Difficult Challenges." 6/30/98.
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format
- T-NSIAD-98-129 "Drug Control: Status of Counternarcotics Efforts in Mexico." Testimony, March 18, 1998.
  - Plain text
- T-NSIAD-98-103 "Drug Control: Counternarcotics Efforts in Colombia Face Continuing Challenges." Testimony, 2/26/98
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format
- NSIAD-98-60 "Drug Control: U.S. Counternarcotics Efforts in Colombia Face Continuing Challenges." 2/12/98
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format
- NSIAD-98-30 "Drug Control: Update on U.S. Interdiction Efforts in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific." 10/15/97
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format
- GGD-97-42 "Drug Control: Observations on Elements of the Federal Drug Control Strategy." 3/14/97
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format
- NSIAD-97-75 "Drug Control: Long-Standing Problems Hinder U.S. International Efforts." 2/27/97
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format
- GGD-96-189BR "Customs Service: Drug Interdiction Efforts." 9/26/96
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format
- T-NSIAD-96-239 "Drug Control: Observations on Counternarcotics Activities in Mexico." Testimony, 9/12/96
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format
- NSIAD-96-163 "Drug Control: Counternarcotics Efforts in Mexico." 6/12/96
  - Plain text
  - Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format

Sources:

1996: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 1998 Budget Congressional Presentation (Washington: Department of State: March 1997): 3.

1997: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 1999 Budget Congressional Presentation (Washington: Department of State: March 1998): 11.

1998: Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2000 Budget Congressional Presentation 7.

1999: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Congressional Presentation (Washington: Department of State: March 2000): 13 <http://www.state.gov/www/global/narcotics_law/fy2001_budget/fy2001_request.html>.

2000: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2002 Budget Congressional Justification (Washington: Department of State: May 2001) <http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/rpt/cbj/fy2002/>.

2001: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2003 Budget Congressional Justification (Washington: Department of State: May 2002) <http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/rpt/cbj/fy2003/>.

2002: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2004 Congressional Budget Justification (Washington: Department of State: June 2003) <http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/rpt/cbj/fy2004/>.

2003: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2005 Congressional Budget Justification (Washington: Department of State: April 2004) <http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/rpt/cbj/fy2005/>.

2004: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2006 Congressional Budget Justification (Washington: Department of State: April 2005) <http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/rpt/cbj/fy2006/>.

2005: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2007 Congressional Budget Justification (Washington: Department of State: April 2006) <http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/rpt/cbj/fy2007/>.

2006: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2007 Congressional Budget Justification (Washington: Department of State: April 2006) <http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/rpt/cbj/fy2007/>.

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