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FIGHTING INTERNATIONAL CRIME
FIGHTING INTERNATIONAL CRIME
"I predict to you, when most of us are long gone, but some time in
the next 10 to 20 years, the major security threat this country will face
will come from the enemies of the nation state: the narco-traffickers and
the terrorists and the organized criminals . . ."
President Clinton
State of the Union Address
January 27, 2000
The power and influence of international criminal groups pose dangerous and
unacceptable threats to the United States. These groups engage in a range of
illegal activities - drug trafficking, money laundering, public corruption,
alien and nuclear materials smuggling, trafficking in women and children, computer
hacking, counterfeiting, arms trafficking, credit card fraud, advance fee scams,
and auto and intellectual property theft, among many others - that have a direct
impact on global security and prosperity. President Clinton's efforts to combat
these activities and the groups that engage in them have enhanced the security
of Americans, their communities and their businesses. In addition, they have
helped support democratic institutions, free markets and the rule of law around
the world.
A RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT
Combating Drug Trafficking
Won congressional approval for a $1.3 billion emergency supplemental providing
a substantial increase in U.S. support for Plan Colombia, President Pastrana's
comprehensive effort to combat drug trafficking and strengthen democracy and
the economy. This package of enhanced U.S. assistance, approved by Congress
in June 2000, enabling Colombia to improve illicit drug interdiction and eradication
capabilities, promote alternate crops and jobs, expand the rule of law, protect
human rights and promote the peace process.
Issued three Presidential Decision Directives ordering enhanced measures
to combat drug trafficking. PDD-73, the most recent directive, states that
the United States will support implementation of Plan Colombia as a matter
of national priority, reviews the policy rationale for the U.S. Colombia Initiative,
and establishes the coordination framework and the agency taskings required
to carry out this initiative.
Implemented new programs to identify and target drug kingpins and their
organizations using economic sanctions pursuant to the International Emergency
Economic Powers Act and the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. These
economic sanctions block drug trafficking assets in the United States and
shut off U.S. markets and financial institutions from designated drug traffickers
and their associates.
Disrupted several major international trafficking organizations, including
the Cali and Juvenal organizations in Colombia.
Used presidential drawdown authority to provide hundreds of millions of
dollars worth of federal agency articles and services (including training)
to assist counter-drug efforts of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago,
Venezuela and other countries engaged in efforts to curtail the supply of
illicit drugs.
Approved the first-ever General Counter-Drug Intelligence Plan (GCIP),
a comprehensive program to coordinate and address intelligence needs in the
counter-drug arena.
Fighting Other Organized Crime
Ordered a comprehensive International Crime Threat Assessment by U.S. intelligence
and law enforcement agencies. An unclassified version of this assessment was
released by the White House in December 2000.
Created an interagency Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons Coordination
Center to promote more effective efforts by the United States and the international
community to combat these related problems.
Established an interagency commission to undertake a comprehensive study
of the nature and extent of crime and the state of security in our seaports,
review the ways in which governments at all levels are responding to the problem,
and develop recommendations for improving law enforcement and crime prevention.
The commission's report, completed in May 2000, documents the current crime
problem in seaports, identifies present and projected security threats, and
recommends a number of useful measures aimed at reducing the vulnerability
of maritime commerce and its supporting infrastructure.
Adopted a comprehensive International Crime Control Strategy in May 1998
to intensify and better coordinate the work of federal agencies in the fight
against international crime.
Ordered a coordinated United States Government attack on international
crime through issuance of PDD-42, the Presidential Decision Directive on International
Organized Crime. A broad range of federal agencies now work more closely than
ever before in identifying, targeting, investigating, prosecuting and disrupting
major criminal groups.
Launched the first-ever National Money Laundering Strategy, under which
the United States is identifying, exposing and punishing countries with egregious
money laundering regimes. Financial institutions from persistently uncooperative
countries face penalties including loss of access to the U.S. banking system.
Also introduced new legislation to facilitate money laundering prosecutions
in the United States.
Implemented aggressive new measures to preempt, interdict and deter alien
smuggling into the United States through issuance of PDD-9, the Presidential
Decision Directive on Alien Smuggling.
Revoked the U.S. visas of known international criminals and corrupt officials,
preventing them from coming to the United States and doing business in America.
Strengthening Multilateral and Bilateral Cooperation
Championed adoption by the U.N. General Assembly of the "Declaration
on Crime and Public Security," a U.S. initiative underscoring the increased
threat to individuals around the world from transnational crime and reaffirming
the commitment of the world community to counter that threat.
Supported formation of the Lyon Group to advance international cooperation
on crime issues and related enforcement programs through the Group of Eight
(G-8) framework.
Supported the ongoing work of the Financial Advisory Task Force (FATF),
an inter-governmental body whose purpose is the development and promotion
of policies to combat money laundering on a global basis.
Agreed with OAS leaders cooperative measures to better organize and coordinate
counter-drug efforts in the Western Hemisphere.
Enhanced cooperative law enforcement efforts with China to counter international
organized crime, drug trafficking, alien smuggling, counterfeiting and money
laundering.
Expanded cooperation with the European Union and other international partners
to counter the destabilizing accumulation and spread of small arms and light
weapons.
Broadened law enforcement cooperation with Mexico to strengthen counter-drug
and other anti-smuggling efforts along our shared 2,000 mile border.
Negotiated and signed the OAS Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit
Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, a hemispheric-wide agreement
to curb the trade in illegal arms.
Signed and ratified more than 20 new extradition treaties, including several
that restrict or remove any basis for the parties to refuse to extradite their
own nationals.
Established the U.S.-Russia Law Enforcement Working Group to identify and
address problems of common concern to U.S. and Russian law enforcement officials.
Played a leading role in international efforts which led to the adoption
in December 2000 of the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime
Convention and its supplementary protocols on migrant smuggling and trafficking
in persons.
TIMELINE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT
December 2000 Release of the International Crime Threat Assessment.
August 2000 PDD-73 (U.S. Colombia Initiative).
April 1999 Presidential Memorandum Directing Establishment of the Interagency
Commission on Crime and Security in U.S. Seaports.
September 1998 PD No. 98-41 (Drawdowns of DOD Articles, Services and Training
to Assist Hemispheric Counter-Drug Efforts).
May 1998 President's International Crime Control Strategy.
October 1997 PD No. 97-38 (Drawdowns of DOD Articles, Services and Training
to Assist Hemispheric Counter-Drug Efforts).
October 1996 PD No. 96-57 (Drawdowns of DOD Articles, Services and Training
to Assist Hemispheric Counter-Drug Efforts).
November 1995 PDD-44 (International Heroin Control).
October 1995 Executive Order 12978 (Economic Sanctions against Drug Traffickers).
October 1995 PDD-42 (International Organized Crime).
November 1993 PDD-14 (International Drug Trafficking in Western Hemisphere).
June 1993 PDD-9 (Alien Smuggling).
REFERENCES
October 1995 Remarks by the President in Address to the UN General Assembly.
October 1995 Fact Sheet on "US Initiatives Against International Organized
Crime."
September 1996 Remarks by the President in Address to the UN General Assembly.
October 1996 Presidential Determination No. 96-57.
June 1997 Remarks by the President in Presentation of Final Communiqué
of the Denver Summit of the Eight.
October 1997 Presidential Determination No. 97-38.
April 1998 Fact Sheet on "Advancing Our Common Security at the Santiago
Summit."
May 1998 President's International Crime Control Strategy.
May 1998 Remarks by the President on International Crime Enforcement.
May 1998 Fact Sheet on "International Crime Control Act of 1998."
June 1998 Remarks to the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on the
Global Drug Problem.
September 1998 Presidential Determination No. 98-41.
2000 (annual series) National Drug Control Strategy.
May 2000 Report of the Interagency Commission on Crime and Security in U.S.
Seaports.
September 2000 Fact Sheet on Interagency Commission on Crime and Security in
U.S. Seaports.
December 2000 Fact Sheet on International Crime Threat Assessment.
December 2000 Fact Sheet on Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons Coordination
Center.