Speech #990215854

Drug Enforcement Agency Administrator John Lawn told the New York Times last month that "Production is increasing. quantities are increasing. purities are increasing." The Times reported in its May 12 edition that United States drug enforcement authorities seized over 10.700 pounds of cocaine as it was being smuggled across the MexicoCalifornia border between October 1. 1985. and March 30. 1986. "That is three times more than was seized along the entire Mexican border during the previous 5 years." the Times stated. The Drug Enforcement Agency has reportedly identified 70 "class 1" drug traffickers in Mexico. giving that country the highest total of these highvolume traffickers in the entire world. According to the June 26 edition of the New York Times. officials of the Border Patrol in south Texas say they have captured $35 million worth of illegal narcoticsalthough the seizure of drugs is not among its primary missions. The Times reported that in one "typical" case. Border Patrol officers arrested three Mexicans crossing the border and carrying 350 pounds of marijuana on their backs. They also carried 9millimeter machineguns. Tragically. the increase in cocaine trafficking and production in Mexico and other countries has contributed to an increase in suffering here in America.