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FBI Accountability for Drugs Used in Special Operations: Deficiencies Identified and Actions Taken

AIMD-00-34R Published: Dec 02, 1999. Publicly Released: Dec 02, 1999.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the weaknesses in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) controls over seized drugs that are used in reverse undercover operations (RUO) by the Miami Field Office.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Justice The Attorney General should require the Director, FBI, to perform appropriate oversight to review and test the procedures recently established by the Miami Field Office to account for drugs used in RUOs to determine if the procedures are operating as intended.
Closed – Implemented
An audit of the reverse undercover operations (RUO) account was conducted during the October 2000 Inspection of the FBI's Miami Field Office. The audit resulted in two recommendations: (1)the Special Agent in Charge (SAC), Miami, consider ensuring that procedures and policies are specifically delineated and documented for the maintenance and use of "show drugs" in RUOs, and (2) the SAC, Miami, consider potential liability issues in continuing the policy of maintaining and disbursing "show drugs" for use in RUOs. A November 2000 Response to Inspection Findings states that the SAC, Miami, considered the recommendations and believes that current procedures for the RUO account are adequate, specifically delineated, and documented. Further, in January 2001, the RUO account procedures were distributed to all FBI Field Offices to provide guidance for maintaining a reserve of drugs for use in RUOs. To address the second recommendation concerning potential liability issues, the SAC, Miami, established a policy, which was distributed to Miami Field Office personnel in November 2000, that Miami will not provide "show drugs" to any outside agencies for use in RUOs or other investigative operations.

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Topics

AccountabilityControlled substancesInternal controlsInventory controlLaw enforcement agenciesNarcoticsUndercover operationsDrugsSpecial operationsFinancial management