Stronger Crackdown Needed on Clandestine Laboratories Manufacturing Dangerous Drugs

摘要

The Drug Enforcement Administration needs to step up its efforts against clandestine laboratories which manufacture nonnarcotic dangerous drugs. Although DEA has designated trafficking in dangerous drugs its second highest priority, it devotes more resources to investigating lower priority problems and is not making the best use of its precursor liaison program -- an effective investigatory program which uses contacts with the legitimate chemical industry as a source of investigatory leads. Longer jail sentences for convicted manufacturers and distributors of dangerous drugs made in clandestine laboratories could be an effective deterrent. GAO recommends that the Congress amend the Controlled Substances Act to increase the maximum penalties for trafficking in nonnarcotic dangerous drugs to the level now provided for trafficking in heroin and other equally dangerous drugs.