Processed Marijuana and Meth Seized on NFS Lands

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Although confined to a much smaller percentage of public l<strong>and</strong>s, cross-border smuggling activities continue to exhaust the limited
law enforcement resources of l<strong>and</strong> management agencies. As Department of Homel<strong>and</strong> Security agencies tighten the control of
ports-of
of-entry <strong>and</strong> borderl<strong>and</strong>s adjacent to metropolitan areas, smuggling activities are concentrated more <strong>and</strong> more on rural, less
accessible public l<strong>and</strong>s as the “path of least resistance”.
Seizures of processed marijuana within the NFS are up, much like domestically produced marijuana, a dramatic 49% to 121,821
pounds. With only 60 miles of NFS l<strong>and</strong>s contiguous to the southwest border <strong>and</strong> all within the Coronado National Forest, 94% of
the processed marijuana or 115,091 pounds of the total system-wide seizures occurred there. An increase in activity is also noted
along the approximately 700 miles of northern border with Canada, , although actual seizures are limited. Light helicopter <strong>and</strong> fixed
wing aircraft are now in routine use for the illegal transport of o “BC Bud” marijuana <strong>and</strong> other drugs <strong>and</strong> precursor chemicals from
Canada into the United States. The ruggedness <strong>and</strong> remoteness of most of these l<strong>and</strong>s coupled with extremely limited law
enforcement <strong>and</strong> investigative resources of all l<strong>and</strong> management <strong>and</strong> a
partnering federal, state <strong>and</strong> local agencies creates an
environment with reduced detection <strong>and</strong> even greater potential for r limited interdiction of these cross-border smuggling activities.
To combat these significant increases in illegal activities, the Forest Service, is aggressively partnering with federal, state <strong>and</strong> local
agencies with the common goal to reduce or eliminate drug activity ty on public l<strong>and</strong>s. Several outst<strong>and</strong>ing examples of these efforts
are found with aggressive Forest Service Law Enforcement <strong>and</strong> Investigations (LEI) participation in interagency task forces. Within
in
the states of Kentucky <strong>and</strong> Tennessee, LEI staff make a significant nt contribution to the management, operation <strong>and</strong> success of the
Appalachia HIDTA. In California, under the leadership of the US Attorney, Eastern District of California, Forest Service LEI
participates within the Central Valley HIDTA in a district-wide campaign, covering much of the state, to aggressively pursue e <strong>and</strong>
bring to justice participants in illegal DTO’s. Along the northern border, the elevation of participation by LEI agents <strong>and</strong> officers in
multiple task forces has helped to better identify the cross-border activity <strong>and</strong> further northern border security with our partners, both
Canadian <strong>and</strong> American. On the southwest border, the continuing participation by LEI in Arizona HIDTA initiatives routinely
results in significant seizures of drugs flowing from Mexico into o the United States.
6
USDA Forest Service
Law Enforcement <strong>and</strong> Investigations