ABSTRACT
The Colombian military is underequipped for the task of ensuring the integrity of Colombian territorial limits against encroachment by drug smugglers. Inside Colombian territorial limits, the authority for counternarcotics operations is primarily divided between the Colombian National Police and the Colombian military. Much of the cocaine that enters the United States is shipped from Colombia, although small amounts are shipped directly to the United States from other countries such as Bolivia and Peru. Little drug production actually takes place along the Departure Zone. Transit Zone interdiction operations not only require cooperation between departments and agencies of the US government, but necessitate collaboration across international borders. In 1994 authorities seized more than 220 metric tons of cocaine in transit to the United States or at the US border. Within the confines of the Transit Zone, US interdiction forces operate under a number of constraints.
