The National Drug Control Strategy and the National Security Strategy: Tackling Transnational Threats
For decades, the global illicit drug trade has constituted a significant transnational security threat. Its power and influence
threaten democratic governments, undermine the rule of law, terrorize populations, impede economic development, and cause regional instability. Its operations, organizations, and networks fuel arms and human trafficking, money laundering,
and violent multinational gangs. The illicit drug trade finances insurgencies and funds militant extremist enemies of the United States and its allies worldwide.
Federal drug control and intelligence agencies are particularly focused on the dangerous nexus between drugs and terrorism.
Currently, 18 of the 42 organizations on the State Department�s List of Foreign Terrorist Organizations are linked to illicit drug trafficking. U.S. law enforcement agencies seek to leverage the tools, expertise, authorities, and capabilities that they have successfully used to dismantle major international drug trafficking organizations to confront terrorism and other transnational security threats.
The National Drug Control Strategy complements the National Security Strategy of the United States in this regard by directly supporting U.S. efforts to �Engage the Opportunities and Confront the Challenges of Globalization.� Consistent with these two strategies, the United States will continue to address these challenges by providing additional emphasis and seeking new and innovative approaches in the following areas:
Focusing U.S. action in areas where the illicit drug trade has converged or may converge with other transnational threats with severe implications for U.S. national security.
Denying drug traffickers, narco-terrorists, and their criminal associates their illicit profits and access to the U.S. and international banking systems.
Strengthening U.S. capabilities to identify and target the links between drug trafficking and other national security threats, and to anticipate future drug-related national security threats.
Disrupting the flow of drugs to the United States and through other strategic areas by building new and stronger bilateral and multilateral partnerships.
