addition to BASC, Venezuela is one of seven countries participating in the U.S. Customs Americas Counter Smuggling Initiative (ACSI). This initiative is designed to increase the effectiveness of law enforcement officers in their efforts to deter narcotics smuggling in commercial cargo shipments and conveyances by enhancing private sector security programs at manufacturing and export facilities in high threat narcotics source and transit countries. U.S. Customs officers have been deployed to Venezuela twice during 1998 for periods of 3-5 weeks to assist businesses and government in developing security programs that safeguard the legitimate flow of international trade. Early on in nationwide campaigning for legislative and presidential elections, the CNA initiated a program to sensitize Venezuelan officials and the public to the dangers of narcotics proceeds being used to influence the 1998 legislative and presidential elections. While no cases were uncovered, the campaign, which included an election campaign finance seminar with USG participation, led to heightened public awareness of this issue. Venezuelan law enforcement authorities seized 7.3 metric tons of cocaine in 1998. While this figure is lower than the total for seizures in 1997, Venezuelan law enforcement authorities claim that 1998 saw increased focus on traffickers and distribution networks which resulted in the arrest of more than 7,531 individuals for drug related offenses (compared with 6,349 in 1997). Additionally, the 1997 figures included one unusually large seizure of over 4 metric tons of cocaine from a fishing boat in July. Working closely with cooperation with DEA, Venezuela's two major anti-drug forces--the Technical Judicial Police and the National Guard arm of the military--dismantled several distribution rings operating in Venezuela and in the U.S. These joint operations led to the arrests of traffickers and drug seizures in both countries. The Venezuelan autho...
