WHEREAS, the Southwest Border area is the principal arrival zone for most illicit drugs smuggled into the United States, as well as the predominant transit zone for the drugs' subsequent distribution throughout the country (“National Drug Threat Assessment,” National Drug Intelligence Center, February 2005); and

WHEREAS, in Fiscal Year 2004, the United States Department of Homeland Security apprehended an estimated 1,241,089 foreign nationals, of which 92 percent were natives of Mexico.

WHEREAS, the most common category of crime committed by aliens removed from the U.S. in Fiscal Year 2004 involved illegal drugs; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in a joint federal, state, and local law enforcement effort known as “Operation Community Shield,” has successfully targeted transnational violent street gangs operating in the U.S. with arrests that include drugs, firearms, and immigration offenses. The operation has resulted in the arrest of approximately 2,388 members of 239 different gangs, approximately 922 of which are from the street gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), along with the seizure of numerous firearms (DHS, Office of the Press Secretary, March 10, 2006, available at www.dhs.gov); and

WHEREAS, Mexican gangs commonly use drug trafficking as a means to finance their criminal activities. These gang drug trafficking organizations are often well organized, have an identifiable hierarchy, organized levels of command and control, and utilize sophisticated techniques and organizational processes to further drug trafficking efforts; and

WHEREAS, the United Nations Security Council has noted the close connection between international terrorism and transnational organized crime, illicit drugs, money-laundering, illegal arms-trafficking, and illegal movement of nuclear, chemical, biological, and other potentially deadly materials, and in this regard emphasizes the need to enhance coordination of efforts on national, sub-regional, regional, and international levels to strengthen a global response to this threat to international security (UN Security Council Resolution 1373, 2001); now, therefore be it

RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police calls on all governments and law enforcement entities to work cooperatively in securing national borders to stem the illicit flow of drugs, persons, money, weapons and other dangerous contraband.