Summary: The Customs Service is among the more than 50 federal agencies attempting to control the use of illegal drugs in the United States. Because Customs' mission is to ensure that persons and goods entering the country comply with trade laws, Customs' drug-control role centers on preventing, detecting, and seizing drugs being smuggled across the borders. In addition to inspectors at more than 300 ports of entry around the country, Customs operates an aviation program to detect, track, and help apprehend nonscheduled aircraft, boats, and vehicles trying to smuggle drugs into the United States. The program also assists the United States' foreign counterdrug operations and provides law enforcement support to Customs units as well as other federal, state, and local agencies. This report describes (1) the program's missions and how they have changed since fiscal year 1992, (2) the annual level of resources and activities since fiscal year 1992, and (3) the adequacy of the performance measures that Customs uses to judge the results of its aviation program.
