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 Other Presidential Documents the farmers understood how to grow other crops and had the wherewithal to do so (neither of which is the case) they would lack accessible markets for their products. An ambitious proiect, requiring years of careful planning and implementation, is essential to create an alternative to opium. Such a plan would need alternative development, law enforcement, and demand reduction elements. Once developed, the plan would replace the previous GOL counter-drug master plan, which dates from 1993 and was also devel- oped with UNDCP assistance. Law enforcement efforts continue. USG-funded counter-drug offices law enforcement offices were opened in two more provinces. These offices, now in six provinces, along with other provincial police offices, reported 143 drug-related criminal cases in \177999, resulting in the arrests of 348 sus- pects (including \1770 foreign nationals). Most arrests were of small-scale traf- fickers. These cases involved the seizure of \1774.7 kilograms of heroin, 225.8 kilograms of opium, 806,700 methamphetamine tablets, and 2.2 metric tons of mariiuana. Opium and heroin seizures fell significantly from record \177998 levels, as there was no case to match the 1998 destruction of a heroin lab- oratory. The number of arrests and quantity of opium seized are roughly equal to last year's totals, but the quantity of heroin seized has fallen sig- nificantly from the past two years. Methamphetamine seizures rose slightly. The quantity of heroin has dropped, in part, because none of the seizures was a very large shipment. Furthermore, it is believed traffickers have changed their routes and methods. For example, seizures in the United States of opium-filled parcels from Laos have iumped. The GOL works very closely with its foreign assistance partners to com- bat drug trafficking and has registered steady progress this past year. The GOL also continues its important efforts to address the socio-economic problems underlying poppy cultivation. Corruption and inefficiency remain significant challenges to Lao counter-drug efforts. The GOL should con- tinue to work with its foreign assistance partners to improve the adminis- tration of iustice and to find alternatives to growing poppy. Mexico In 1999, the Government of Mexico (GOM) made substantial efforts to confront the major threats to public health and democratic institutions posed by transnational drug-trafficking organizations. Agreement on un- precedented, bilaterally negotiated Performance Measures of Effectiveness (PMEs) enhanced maritime cooperation, and performance improvements in the interdiction/eradication realm were encouraging. Corruption and judi- cial obstacles to the swift extradition of fugitives, however, remained im- pediments to a more productive counter-drug relationship. A new $500 million public security plan, including establishment of the new Federal Preventative Police, complemented close bilateral counter- drug cooperation in 1999. That undertaking, which will take several years to implement fully, restructures several existing law enforcement agencies, and has already begun to improve police coverage and crime investigation. Steps are underway to acquire new technology, such as aerial radar plat- forms and upgraded telecommunications, and redistribute land, air, and maritime assets to improve coverage of priority areas. An interagency inter- diction operation disrupted a major cartel's operations on the Yucatan Pe- ninsula as part of a broad-based effort to reduce the flow of drugs into Mex- ico from Central and South America. 373

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