More damning information came out on Thursday about the Drug Enforcement Administration’s reliance on confidential informants, including new details about how it jeopardizes “national security, foreign relations, and civil liberties.”
The Department of Justice Inspector General released a public summary of a classified addendum that was affixed to a scathing report, released last September, on the DEA’s use of confidential sources. The prior audit discovered that the agency did not properly oversee its network of informants, increasing the risk of fraud and constitutional abuses.
The new information, released this week, accuses the DEA of playing fast and loose with its sources on “highly sensitive” matters. The review also suggested that some of the agency’s activities might be illegal.
The controversial informant operations were run out of a DEA Intelligence Division program and the agency’s Special Operations Division. The latter is primarily tasked with overseas operations and national security investigations often associated with terrorist organizations.
Specific details are not included in the public summary. The IG alleged, however, that the agency “did not keep proper documentation related to the authorization of these sources to conduct such activities, the specifics of the activities conducted, or any subsequent revocation of their authority to continue conducting such activities.”
The watchdog also revealed this week that the DEA did not erect a review and approval process to manage at least $25 million doled out over five years to just eight sources. According to the September findings, the DEA, in total, put more than 18,000 informants under its employ, paying them roughly $237 million over the same period.
While more specific concerns and advisements were not included in the public summary released Thursday, the IG did report that the DEA concurred with its four recommendations. At least one pertained to the DEA’s inability to demonstrate that its activities comply with federal law.
“DEA should also reexamine its legal authority to use confidential sources in its Intelligence Division program,” the report stated. The oversight body further advised that the agency “develop a legally sound and formal oversight process” for these informant activities.
