The Narcotics Affairs Section: 32 years of working together to promote a drug-free Bolivia

Since 1976, the government of the United States has continued to support the efforts of the Bolivian government in reducing the cultivation of illicit coca, interdicting illegal drugs, and increasing awareness of the dangers of drug use in Bolivian society. In the past 32 years, the Embassy of the United States, through the Narcotics Affairs section, has provided almost $500,000,000 to support Bolivian counter narcotics efforts. This support includes interdiction, eradication, and demand reduction programs, training for police and prosecutors, an anti-corruption program, and operational and logistical support. 

In the Department of Cochabamba, the Narcotics Affairs Section (NAS) supports the efforts of the Bolivian National Police Counter Narcotics Unit (FELCN), including their specialized units and the Counter Narcotics Prosecutors Office.  The objective of this support is to disrupt the activities of criminal groups and drug production, control the illegal use of precursor chemicals, investigate drug-related financial crimes, and destroy marijuana plantations.

One of the most important NAS-supported projects is the Canine Training Center in El Paso, a town located about 10 kilometers from the city of Cochabamba.  This specialized center has experienced personnel in charge of training the dogs used by the FELCN to detect drugs. For those animals working is playing. The dogs, along with their police officer handlers, have the crucial mission of detecting drugs hidden in baggage at airports and bus terminals, as well as at checkpoints located along the Bolivian roads.

In 2007 the Narcotics Affairs Section provided support for the drafting of the Departmental Plan for Drug Demand Reduction in Cochabamba.  NAS also worked in coordination with the Nuevos Horizontes foundation to provide training and technical advice to therapists that work in shelters run by the Department of Cochabamba (SEDEGES) and to directors and administrative personnel of the Yapanakuna Network (a network of private rehabilitation centers), as well as to journalists in Cochabamba.

Additionally, for six years NAS has supported the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program in Cochabamba. More than 15,000 public school students in the Department of Cochabamba have participated in this successful prevention program.