Anti-Drug Operations, 1970s

During the 1970s, U.S. anti-drug investigative strategies included a systems approach that emphasized strategic and tactical intelligence. The core investigative strategies were (1) criminal conspiracy laws,

(2) informants, and (3) undercover operations. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) emphasized drug sources, importation, and wholesale distribution. State and local officers focused on the dealers and pushers.

In 1973, the DEA created a field intelligence unit, the Unified Intelligence Division (UID), that included DEA special agents, New York State Police investigators, as well as New York City detectives. This task force approach was one of the first intelligence units to engage the intelligence process of (1) collection, (2) evaluation,

(3) analysis, and (4) dissemination. The UID mission was to develop and disseminate accurate intelligence on traditional organized crime related to drug ...