Drug enforcers seek future federal agents

The feds have come to Penn, looking for students interested in drugs. They'd prefer, however, to be recruiting, rather than carrying out a high-profile drug bust in one of the campus college houses.

Four officials from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration talked with Criminology students Wednesday about their line of work -- targeting, tracking, and busting high-profile drug traffickers -- and how anyone with a bachelor's degree can get involved.

Officials gave advice about the best locations to get work experience in the field.

"If you come into a job like this, and you want to really learn it, go to a big division: New York, LA, Houston, Miami," Director of DEA Congressional and Public Affairs Mary Cooper said.

Retired DEA Special Agent Anne Hayes laughed in agreement, adding that when she and Mary entered the agency, "We didn't want to go to Miami. ... It would've been too easy; we heard the cocaine just washed up on the beach."

Also mentioned were the benefits of working with the DEA.

Divisional Recruiter Louis Troup, who was a former special agent, cited numerous opportunities to travel and live all over the world with all expenses paid, government-funded higher education, good pay and the fact that there is "always something going on."

Students in areas ranging from engineering to finance were encouraged to apply.

"Experts in finance and accounting are needed [to analyze] the money generated. ... It's fueling not only drug traffickers, but also terrorism," Troup said.

The DEA targets drug trafficking from the international to local levels and recently completed a case in the Caribbean.

"Thirty percent of the coke trafficked was going through the Caribbean in the mid '90s. ... There were three tons of coke hitting the U.S. streets per month," Cooper said. "We seized $85 million in assets -- that's where you hit them the hardest."

Cooper emphasized the highly advanced skills of Colombian drug traffickers, who are "the most ahead of the game," using the most advanced technology and innovative tactics to move drugs. "They [moved] the cocaine, now they're doing the heroine," she said.

Participants were fascinated by the discussion.

"We have researchers [come talk] about theoretical concepts, but they were wonderful at conveying how the concepts become real ground work, especially on the federal level," Director of the M.S. Program in Criminology Laurie Robinson commented after the presentation. "One thing I find especially interesting: The women [in our program] are most interested in working in federal law enforcement."

Some of the criminology students present indicated interest in joining the DEA.

"Half of us will end up in law enforcement ... either the DEA or the FBI, so I'm sure many will apply," Laura Herring, a criminology graduate student, said. "It was a great talk. It covered all the points."

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