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(U) DEA - Back in the Intelligence Community Again!
FROM:
DEA Account Manager (S112)
Run Date: 10/20/2006
(U) As of early February 2006, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) re-joined the
Intelligence Community after a 25-year absence. A joint designation memorandum signed by
the United States Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence admitted the Office
of National Security Intelligence (ONS), an office within DEA's Intelligence Division, into the
Intelligence Community.
(U//FOUO) ONS, which will be physically located at DEA Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, will
serve as an intelligence analysis office. It will manage the collection requirements and analysis
of national security information gained through the course of DEA's law enforcement mission.
(U) DEA was previously a member of the Intelligence Community from 1978 until 1982.
However, with the implementation of E.O. 12333 in 1982 - yes, that same one whose salient
points we review yearly - DEA was removed from membership in the community. The decision
was based on the fact that DEA was primarily a law enforcement organization and did not need
to be a member of the Intelligence Community. While E.O. 12333 initially removed DEA from the
Intelligence Community, its operational linkage with NSA was not minimized; the order also
authorized NSA to provide technical assistance to DEA and other federal law enforcement
agencies.
(S//SI//REL) The relationship between NSA and DEA was originally formalized in a 1989
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the heads of the two agencies. This
relationship has evolved into a prosperous one for both agencies - after all, DEA is NSA's
principal and most important customer for narcotics-related SIGINT. It uses SIGINT for lead
information to initiate or support ongoing multi-jurisdictional investigations of major
international drug trafficking organizations. In turn, DEA provides NSA with in-depth background
and technical information on international narcotics trafficking organizations in support of our
foreign intelligence mission.
(U) DEA's membership in the Intelligence Community provides them the forum and
opportunity to be a prime contributor toward issues of national security. For instance,
drug trafficking organizations and terrorist groups use similar methods of operations, moneylaundering, and routes. DEA's extensive overseas presence coupled with its 50-plus years of
operational experience in that arena has resulted in a vast network of informants, some of whom
operate in areas that are of limited access to Intelligence Community assets. Presumably, the
Intelligence Community will have that access now.
(U) Surely, DEA's renewed membership in the Intelligence Community will be a factor in the
Intelligence Community coming together to meet the threats of the 21st Century.
(U) Welcome back, DEA!
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108