War on Drugs

War on Drugs. Key West — Florida Keys Historical Military Memorial. War on Drugs . Key West's strategic position on the Straits of Florida between the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean makes it a critical location for the war on drugs. The island has played a vital role in that war through the establishment here of the Joint Interagency Task Force East (JIATF East) for coordination of anti-drug smuggling operations and the expansion of Coast Guard facilities, ships, and personnel. The influx of illegal drugs came to the fore as a national security problem in the 1970s. The Coast Guard was assigned the primary maritime interdiction role, and gradually expanded its Caribbean presence to disrupt the illegal drug supply chain along its entire length. Key West provided home ports and support for Coast Guard, Navy, and allied naval ships involved in anti-drug smuggling operations. The number of Coast Guard cutters and patrol boats stationed at Key West was-greatly increased. After a prolonged and concerted effort, Coast Guard operations along with support from U.S. Navy. ships and patrol aircraft effectively slowed seaborne importation of marijuana to a trickle. Unfortunately, as the marijuana trade dried up, the shipment of cocaine increased and it became the primary drug shipped by sea. Joint Task Force 4 was established at Key West in 1989 as a result of President Bush's directive to employ the nation's armed forces to cooperate with civilian drug enforcement agencies. The task force was comprised of Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard personnel and representatives from civilian law enforcement agencies under the leadership of a Coast Guard rear admiral. In 1994, Joint Task Force 4 was redesignated JIATF East and expanded to include additional staff members from civilian law enforcement agencies such as DEA, Customs, and FBI. Great Britain, France, and the Netherlands also furnished ships, aircraft, and liaison officers. As a result of operations directed by JIATF East, aerial smuggling from South America was decreased dramatically and drug smugglers were forced to use other less-efficient routes and vehicles. As long as the flow of illegal drugs to the U.S. persists, the Coast Guard ships and personnel and other naval forces operating under the direction of JIATF East at Key West will continue to be critical elements in the national drug control strategy.