Office of National Drug Control Policy

National Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy

On January 4, 2011, the President signed P.L. 111-356 (H.R. 4748 ) requiring ONDCP to consult with the heads of relevant National Drug Control Program agencies and relevant officials of international, state, local, and tribal governments to develop a National Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy. 

Specifically, the National Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy aims to improve our national efforts in:

  • intelligence collection and information sharing;
  • interdiction at and between ports of entry, as well as in the air and maritime domains;
  • disrupting and dismantling transnational criminal organizations;
  • improving relationships on tribal lands; and
  • enhancing cooperation with Canada.

The strategy is the product of an extensive consultation process soliciting input from Congress and Federal, state, local, and tribal entities, as well as Canadian officials. 

To enhance the consultation process, ONDCP, with the assistance of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, conducted consultations in five states, including in Seattle, Washington; Blackfeet Nation, Montana; Grand Rapids, North Dakota; Detroit, Michigan; and Upstate New York. 

The consultation meetings included discussions with the U.S. Attorneys, the HIDTA directors, and panels of Federal, state, local, and tribal officials.  At each location, law enforcement officials highlighted successes and provided recommendations to strengthen our efforts to secure the Northern border against drug trafficking and related threats.