TERROR CRACKDOWN SCARING OFF DRUG TRAFFICKERS

Drug seizures in California and other Western states have fallen
dramatically since Sept. 11 as the United States has tightened control of
its borders during the war on terrorism.

In the two weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and
the Pentagon, total drug seizures in Arizona, California, New Mexico and
Texas were down more than 80 percent compared with the same time last year
- -- just 8, 707 pounds of heroin, cocaine and marijuana, as opposed to
44,160 pounds in 2000.

Law enforcement officials say border security has never been tighter, so
the only explanation for the decrease in narco-trafficking is that
smugglers are taking an unpaid vacation from their illegal trade.

"Drug traffickers aren't stupid," said U.S. Customs Service spokesman Kevin
Bell. "They routinely monitor our operations. Given that we're conducting
dramatically enhanced inspections, you could argue that some drug
traffickers are holding back their loads."

Authorities have doubled the number of customs agents at more than 300
ports of entry into the United States. Every person, boat, car or plane
coming into the country is being checked and rechecked under the Customs
Service's "Code Red" plan.

It is too early to tell what effect this may have on street-level dealers
and drug users. Authorities at Bay Area police departments and the state
Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement are not reporting a significant drop in
illegal drug activity.

Richard Meyer, spokesman for the San Francisco office of the Drug
Enforcement Administration, said anti-drug operations this month have been
normal, netting 24 arrests and more than 30 kilograms of methamphetamine
and cocaine.

"These were likely drugs already in the country before the attack," Meyer
said. "But should the supply decrease sharply, we expect smugglers to have
several other methods. We expect them to change their tactics."

Authorities caution that the recent dip in drug seizures at borders in the
Southwest could be short-lived, noting that there will be significant
pressure for smugglers -- especially marijuana growers preparing for
harvest -- to get their drugs into the United States in the coming weeks.

But officials also are forecasting more permanent improvements to border
security. And that could lead to long-term financial losses for
narco-traffickers.

Tougher border controls also have cut into human smuggling, as more illegal
immigrants have decided to stay home. "We've seen a dramatic decrease in
the number of apprehensions," said Lauren Mack, a spokeswoman with the
Immigration and Naturalization Service in San Diego.

Arrests are about one-fourth of normal, Mack said, with agents finding
fewer cases of illegal immigrants packed into hidden compartments of trucks
or cars.

Drugs Confiscated At The U.S.-Mexico Border In Pounds

Sept. 11-23, 2000 Sept. 11-23, 2001
Southern California 29,245 4,179
Ariz., N.M., West Texas 12,300 3,291
South Texas 2,615 1,237
Total 44,160 8,707

Sources: U.S. Customs; ESRI
Associated Press Graphic