DEA FACT SHEET

DEA FACT SHEET

Drug Enforcement Administration
Office of Public Affairs
202-307-7977

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is the premier drug enforcement organization in the
world and the only single-mission federal agency dedicated to drug law enforcement. Using unique
operational and intelligence capabilities, the men and women of DEA identify, investigate, disrupt,
and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations and those who facilitate them, remove drugs
and violent criminals from our neighborhoods, and fight the diversion of licit drugs.

DEA’s Mission

1. Enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States;
2. Bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States, or any other competent
jurisdiction, those involved in the illegal growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled
substances that are part of or destined for illicit drug markets in the United States; and,
3. Recommend and support non-enforcement programs aimed at reducing the availability of
illicit controlled substances on domestic and international markets.

DEA’s Leadership

DEA’s leadership team begins with the Administrator, Special Agent Michele M. Leonhart.
Confirmed in December 2010, she is the first female career law enforcement officer to lead a federal
law enforcement organization.

Each of DEA’s divisions, including DEA’s 21 domestic divisions, is led by a Special Agent-in-Charge
(SAC). For a complete list of DEA’s leadership team, please visit www.dea.gov.

Vision

Administrator Leonhart’s vision for the DEA
includes the following seven priorities:

1. Disrupt and dismantle the major drug
trafficking supply organizations and their
networks, including organizations that use
drug trafficking proceeds to fund terror;

2. Attack the financial infrastructure of drug
trafficking organizations;

3. Prevent the diversion of pharmaceutical
controlled substance and listed chemicals
from legitimate channels including the
Internet, while ensuring an adequate
and uninterrupted supply for medical,
commercial and scientific needs;

4. Enhance the collection and sharing of
intelligence to predict shifts in trafficking
trends, to identify all components of the
major drug supply organizations, and to
support counterterrorism;

5. Strengthen partnerships with our domestic
and foreign law enforcement counterparts
to maximize the impact of our worldwide
operations;

6. Support drug demand reduction initiatives
and give assistance to community coalitions
and drug prevention officials;

7. Develop future DEA leaders who reflect the
    richness and diversity in America.


DEA By The Numbers

Budget: DEA’s annual budget is $2.02 billion for
FY 2011.

Domestic Offices: DEA has 226 offices
organized in 21 divisions throughout the United
States and works closely with state and local
partners to investigate and prosecute violators of
our drug laws and those who facilitate them.
International Presence: DEA has 83 offices
in 63 countries around the world. Among
government agencies, DEA has sole responsibility
for coordinating and pursuing drug investigations
abroad and works in partnership with foreign law
enforcement counterparts.

DEA Employees: DEA employs nearly 10,000
men and women including nearly 5,000
Special Agents, 500 Diversion Investigators,
800 Intelligence Research Specialists, and 300
Chemists.

Revenue Denied: From FY 2005

through March 2011, the DEA stripped
approximately $17.7 billion in revenue
from drug trafficking organizations.