Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), an agency of the United States government, enforces federal laws and regulations dealing with narcotics and other dangerous drugs. The DEA investigates illegal drug traffic and arrests suspected offenders. It also works to help reduce demand for illegal drugs and regulates production and distribution of certain drugs.
The DEA investigates the smuggling of narcotics and dangerous drugs into the United States and the distribution of such drugs. It arrests suspected distributors, financiers, importers, and processors of illegal drugs. The agency works with local, state, and federal law enforcement organizations and with agencies of other nations to combat illegal drug traffic and misuse.
The DEA was established in 1973 as part of the U.S. Department of Justice. Its functions had previously been performed by three Justice Department offices and the Bureau of Customs. The DEA has headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.
