51

personnel to identify and safely dismantle clandestine drug laboratories and bring those responsible to justice. 328 In particular, we will work to establish an agreed United States-Mexico poppy eradication program, a shared eradication goal, and a joint strategy for intelligence-driven eradication in Mexico. « « « « « « 88 NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY The Department of State, ONDCP, and other federal agencies have also been working with the Government of Mexico to address maritime port security, including through the NADD. Improving port security would curtail the diversion of imported of chemicals used to make illicit drugs, thus inhibiting synthetic drug production. Steps to improve port security include professionalizing security forces, reducing corruption and criminality at key ports, increasing awareness of the types of chemicals that authorities should seize, and improving insight into the evolving nature of the precursor environment.329 Improving port security can also mitigate the movement of illicit weapons and proceeds, ultimately denying operational resources to the TCOs. Respecting the sovereignty of Mexico, we will continue to pursue efforts beyond capacity-building initiatives with Mexico to address shared responsibility to foster equitable regional development. The Bicentennial Framework modernizes U.S.-Mexico security cooperation to confront existing and new challenges, including the accelerating drug overdose deaths in the United States driven by illicit drugs and associated violence and criminality in Mexico. Through the Framework, the U.S. and Mexican interagencies will increase joint efforts to combat synthetic drugs and other illicit drug production, better understand and reduce drug demand in the United States and Mexico, increase interdiction of drugs, pursue TCO prosecutions and illicit finance, and reduce the number of illicit firearms crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, among other issues. C. Work with the PRC to strengthen control of the production, diversion, and transshipment of illicit synthetic drugs and their precursors. (Agencies Involved: DHS; DOD; DOJ; DOS; HHS; IC/NSC; Treasury; USAID; USPIS) A significant volume of non-fentanyl opioids and precursor chemicals used to produce fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and other synthetic drugs originate in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This assessment is supported by seizure evidence, law enforcement investigations, internet sales information, and judicial actions in the United States, PRC, and Mexico.330 Increased collaboration with the PRC on shared drug priorities can disrupt drug trafficking networks, along with the corrupt or compromised systems that support them, and reduce the availability of dangerous synthetic drugs in the United States. The United States will continue engagement with the PRC to reduce diversion of uncontrolled precursor chemicals to the illicit production and trafficking of synthetic drugs destined for markets in the United States, while also working with impacted third countries. D. Work with Colombia to reduce production and trafficking of cocaine while increasing alternative economic opportunities. (Agencies Involved: DOD; DOJ/DEA, OCDETF; DOS; IC/NSC; Treasury, USAID, USCG, WHA) Colombia remains a stalwart partner of the United States and one of our strongest and most reliable allies in the region. Recent data suggest that the current level of effort of manual eradication alone is insufficient to reverse the coca cultivation that provides the raw material for cocaine production in Colombia. In fact, both raw coca production and estimated total cocaine production in Colombia have more than tripled since 2012. 331 To reverse this upward trend, the U.S. government, in partnership with the Colombian government, will implement an integrated counterdrug plan that supports stability, prosperity, capacity-building, and a strong bilateral partnership. This whole of government effort will support and emphasize increases in environmentally-safe illicit « « « « « « NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY 89 crop eradication, alternative development, interdiction, rural security, environmental protection, investigations and prosecutions, judicial support, and public health cooperation. Since coca fields differ in their level of productivity, this approach will be most successful if we focus in areas of high-yield coca cultivation. 332 Unfortunately, these areas generally have limited government services and lingering security concerns, and will require concerted effort over several years to reverse the continued rise in cocaine production. Consequently, U.S. government efforts must be closely tied to measurable outcomes, sustainable over the long term and designed to complement Colombia’s national counterdrug strategy. E. Foster improved international drug control and alternative development in Peru. (Agencies Involved: DOD; DOJ/DEA, OCDETF; DOS; IC; Treasury; USAID; WHA) Peru, despite being the world’s second largest producer of cocaine, is a steady partner in the fight against coca cultivation and illicit drug trafficking. 333 The Biden-Harris Administration will apply a comprehensive approach, working with the Government of Peru. Eradication remains a valuable tool in reducing coca cultivation in Peru, but the root causes of illicit crop cultivation must also be addressed. 

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14  15   16   17   18   19   20   21    22   23   24   25  26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49  50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65