U.S. Department of Justice
Drug Enforcement Administration

April 1999

Drug Enforcement
Administration

A Tradition of Excellence

The History of the DEA from 1973 to 1998

Table of Contents

Letter from Administrator Constantine
Letter from Former President Gerald Ford
Letter from Former President George Bush
Letter from President Bill Clinton
Remarks of U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno
Credits

1970-1975 The DEA's Immediate Predecessors John E. Ingersoll, Director BNND Myles J. Ambrose, Director ODALE DEA Genealogy Foreign Offices Opened New York Task Force (1970) Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention & Control Act (1970) Diversion Control Program (1971) French Connection (1971-1972) First Female Special Agents Creation of the DEA (July 1, 1973) Reasons to Create the DEA Early Developments in the DEA John R. Bartels, Jr.: First DEA Administrator Creation of the DEA Intelligence Program (1973) The Unified Intelligence Division (1973) First DEA Intelligence Analyst Graduation List National Narcotics Intelligence System The Collapse of the DEA Miami Office Building (1974) Graduation of the First DEA Special Agents El Paso Intelligence Center (1974) Joint Efforts with Mexico (1974) Drug Abuse Warning Network (1974) Narcotic Addict Treatment Act (1974) Aviation Training Technology Laboratories Killed in the Line of Duty	1985-1990 The Crack Epidemic Minden Lab John C. Lawn: Fourth DEA Administrator Trafficking Via Mexico The Murder of DEA Special Agent Enrique Camarena Camarena Investigation Leads to Operation Leyenda Red Ribbon Campaign Employee Assistance Program Expanded (1985) Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 National Security Decision Directive 221 Drug-Free Workplace (1986) Len Bias/Don Rogers (1986) The Certification Process (1986) Foreign Offices Opened Operation Blast Furnace (1986) Operation Snowcap (1987) Carlos Lehder Extradition (1987) Demand Reduction Section (1987) The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 The Creation of a Drug Czar (1988) Colombian Government Helps Seize Gacha Funds (1989) Rescheduling of Marijuana Denied (1989) El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) Dedication (1989) Operation Green Merchant (1989) Operation Polar Cap (1989) Arrest of Noriega (1989) Sylmar Seizure (1989) DEA Headquarters Moved (1989) Aviation Training Laboratories Technology Killed in the Line of Duty
1975-1980 The White House White Paper Henry S. Dogin: DEA Acting Administrator (1975) Central Tactical Units (1975) Peter B. Bensinger: Second DEA Administrator Operation Trizo (1976) Fire at DEA Headquarters (1976) Jaime Herrera-Nevares Heroin from Mexico Foreign Offices Opened Development of the Heroin Signature Program (1977) Tighter PCP Controls (1977) Colombian Marijuana The Arrest of Nicky Barnes The Office of Compliance and Regulatory Affairs South Florida Paraphernalia Law (1979) The Black Tuna Gang and Operation Banco Cocaine The Origins of the Medellin Cartel U.S. Drug Use Peaks (1979) Major Cocaine Seizures Domestic Cannabis Eradication & Suppression Program (1979) Aviation Laboratories Training Technology Killed in the Line of Duty	1990-1994 Robert C. Bonner: Fifth DEA Administrator Foreign Offices Opened Decline of the Medellin Cartel & Rise of the Cali Mafia Heroin Marijuana Steroids Operation Man (1990) Operation REDRUM (1991) LSD Conference (1991) Medical Use of Marijuana Denied (1992) DEA Special Agent Promotion Program Operation Green Ice (1992) Major Cocaine Seizure (1992) Creation of Intelligence Division (1992) The Kingpin Strategy (1992) Brooklyn Clandestine Cocaine Lab Seizures (1992) Rules of the Game (1993) Office of Investigative Agency Policies (1993) Aviation Technology Laboratories Training Killed in the Line of Duty
1980-1985 The Rise of the Medellin Cartel Operation Swordfish (1980) Francis M. Mullen, Jr.: Third DEA Administrator Colombian Marijuana Int'l Security & Development Cooperation Act of 1981 Concurrent Jurisdiction with the FBI (1982) Methaqualone (1982) Southwest Asian Heroin Reorganization of DEA Headquarters Functions Centralizing Operations (1982) Task Force on South Florida (1982) Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (1982) Foreign Offices Opened 8-Point Crackdown on Organized Crime OPBAT (1982) Joint DEA/FBI SAC Conference (1983) First Joint DEA/National Narcotic Border Interdiction System Career Board (1983) Operation Pipeline (1984) Operation Pisces (1984) Tranquilandia (1984) Domestic Marijuana The Crime Control Act (1984) 1984 Amendment to the Controlled Substances Act Scheduling of Dangerous Drugs 50th State Joins EPIC (1984) Drug Prevention Programs Aviation Training Technology Laboratories Killed in the Line of Duty	1994-1998 Thomas A. Constantine: Sixth DEA Administrator Quantico Conference (1994) Revision of Geographic Drug Enforcement Program Operation Snowcap is Concluded (1994) Headquarters Reorganization (1994) Career Board Reorganization (1994) Creation of the 20th Field Division (1994) DEA/FBI Senior Executive Service Exchange (1994) Field Training Agent Program Conviction of Dandeny Munoz-Mosquera (1994) Revised Internal Inspection (1994) Peru Airplane Crash (1994) Anti-Legalization Forum (1994) Operation Foxhunt Zorro (1994) Charlestown, Massachusetts Tiger Trap (1994) Operation Dinero (1994) Trauma Team Improvements (1995) Mobile Enforcement Teams (1995) Oklahoma City Bombing (1995) New Wall of Honor (1995) Operation Green Ice II (1995) Operation Global Sea (1995) Arrest of Cali Leaders (1995) Rise of Traffickers in Mexico The Arellano-Felix Brothers Organization The Amado Carrillo-Fuentes Organization The Miguel Caro-Quintero Organization The Juan Garcia-Abrego Organization Field Advisory Council (1995) Promotion/Transfer Policy & Voluntary Transfers (1995) Creation of the 21st Field Division (1995) Continued Increase in Caribbean Drug Trafficking Special Agent Background Investigations (1995) Administrator Directs Vehicle Procurement (1998) Career Path for Diversion Investigators (1995) Special Agent Selection and Recruiting Operation Zorro II (1996) Atlanta Olympics (1996) The Methamphetamine Problem Comprehensive Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996
	Establishment of the Purple Heart Award (1996) Operations Reciprocity and Limelight (1996) Legalization in California and Arizona (1996) Boys & Girls Clubs (1996) Joint SAC Conference (1997) Jose Ivan Duarte (1997) DEA Heroin Conference (1997) DEA/Wal-Mart Partnership (1997) Billion Dollar Budget (1997) Justice Training Center (1997) National Drug Pointer Index (1997) The DEA Survivors Benefit Fund (1998) Equipment & Safety/Bullet Resistant Vests (1998) Creation of the 22nd Field Division (1998) Training Aviation Technology Foreign Offices Opened Laboratories Killed in the Line of Duty DEA's 25th Anniversary

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We would like to gratefully acknowledge the generous contributions of time and information from many past and present DEA employees, too numerous to name individually. Without their support, the publication of this DEA History would not have been possible.

The Attorney General has determined that the publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of public business required by law of the Department of Justice.