The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and to bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States or any other competent jurisdiction, those organizations, and principal members of organizations, involved in the production and distribution of illegal drugs and related criminal activity. Additionally, DEA is tasked with the responsibility of recommending and supporting enforcement programs aimed at reducing the availability of controlled substances and precursor chemicals in the domestic and international markets.

Not only is DEA the lead agency for domestic enforcement of federal drug laws and related violations, but it also has sole responsibility for coordinating and pursuing U.S. drug investigations and related crimes abroad.  DEA is responsible, under the policy guidance of the Secretary of State and U.S. Ambassadors, for all programs associated with narcotics violations and related crimes with foreign law enforcement counterparts. DEA maintains offices in 44 countries throughout the world with over 350 Special Agents and support staff assigned to those offices.

In addition to investigative work with foreign government law enforcement organizations, DEA provides technical support to these agencies in an effort to assist them in reducing narcotics manufacturing and trafficking through training and the sharing of operational techniques and enforcement methods.  DEA also collects and analyzes criminal organization intelligence which is made available to host government law enforcement counterparts.

DEA maintains an office located at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.  DEA personnel work in cooperation with representatives from the National Police Agency of Japan, the Ministry of Health and Welfare,  Ministry of Finance (Bureau of Customs and Tariff) and the Maritime Safety Agency to help combat the world wide drug problem.

Further information concerning DEA may be found at www.usdoj.gov/dea.