Flood of Drugs From Stockpiling Feared

Stepped-up U.S. border searches put into effect after the abduction of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent prompted Mexican traffickers to stockpile drugs, federal officials said Friday, and U.S. authorities are on heightened alert for a possible flood of narcotics into the United States.

John C. Lawn, acting administrator of the DEA, said the agency informed the U.S. Customs Service of the stockpile, prompting even more intensive security at the border.

In testimony before a House subcommittee Friday, Lawn also complained that there has been a “downfall, a decay” during the last year and a half in the Mexican government’s efforts to eradicate marijuana cultivation, resulting in more Mexican marijuana in the United States.

In response to reports of “tens of thousands of pounds” of stockpiled marijuana, the Customs Service has intensified border inspections and patrols, a spokesman said. Another official said the Customs Service also has begun more intensive searches of aircraft and trucks and, for the first time, of freight trains crossing the border to try to detect large shipments.

“We have been informed that there is a large stockpile of narcotics, primarily marijuana, some heroin, in warehouses and other buildings along the Mexican-U.S. border,” Customs Service spokesman James Mahan said. “We have not made any large seizures along the border, and it is anticipated that these people will try and smuggle it through.”

Lawn blamed corruption and the Mexican economy for what he described as a recent slowdown in the Mexican government’s efforts to halt marijuana cultivation. He said Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III has discussed the problem with his counterpart in Mexico and noted that the DEA also would work with Mexican officials.

‘Was a Model Country’

“Until about 18 months ago, Mexico was a model country” in its anti-drug efforts, Lawn said. “Whenever foreign visitors asked about an eradication program, we would take them to Mexico . . . . However, in the past 18 months, we have seen the Mexican program lose some effectiveness.”

But State Department officials said Mexico has reinvigorated its crop eradication program and charged that the DEA was exaggerating the problem.

“DEA is frustrated over these problems, and that’s understandable . . . . “ a State Department official said. “We think the Mexicans have been quite forthcoming.”

Speaking to reporters after he testified, Lawn condemned the killing of drug agent Enrique S. Camarena, who was abducted in Guadalajara on Feb. 7 and found dead on March 5, as a “terrorist act” intended to intimidate other agents. But, in fact, Lawn said, it has made the DEA increase its efforts.

The DEA chief said that he has read the Mexican government’s initial report on the Camarena case and will receive additional reports from Mexico as the investigation continues.

“I think the abduction of Special Agent Camarena was accomplished by factors in Mexican police agencies who had been corrupted by drug traffickers,” Lawn said. “I believe that were that corrupting factor not there among members of the enforcement community in Mexico, Special Agent Camarena would be in San Diego today.”

In another action Friday, the Customs Service released a list of Americans who were caught in the previous week carrying drugs into the country. A spokesman said that the agency plans to release the list on a weekly basis to the news media.