In October 2012, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) made the largest methamphetamine bust in New York State history. The bust, which occurred in New Rochelle, included the seizure of 50 pounds of meth with a market value of more than $1 million. Although significant, this incident is just one of countless efforts the DEA spearheads in partnership with local law enforcement agencies to control the drug trade in New York.
The presence of the DEA in New York State is crucial, and the operations based here are reflective of that. The DEA has a division office in New York City, district offices in both Albany and Long Island, and resident offices in the following cities:
- Buffalo
- Plattsburgh
- Rochester
- Syracuse
- Westchester
New York DEA Careers: How to Become a DEA Agent in New York Through Training
The Juris Doctorate or LL.B. degrees are among the most common law degrees held by DEA agents in the greater New York metro area. However, many agents meet the DEA’s educational requirements by combining a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with drug surveillance experience from other law enforcement work they’ve performed in the past. Combining a bachelor’s degree with another strong qualifier such as fluency in one of several specified foreign languages or pilot’s licensure is also a recognized way for applicants to meet the requirements for DEA Academy training.
Individuals who meet the agency’s requirements and want to learn how to become a DEA agent in New York can contact the regional recruiter, Mark Waller, at 212-274-4031.
The DEA also has upcoming career fairs and orientations for New York DEA careers, all of which are conducted by Recruiter Special Agent Mark Waller. All interested individuals must attend an orientation session before proceeding with the recruitment process.
DEA New York Headlines
Individuals seeking knowledge on New York DEA careers and jobs may benefit from reading the recent headlines to come out of the Empire State.
For example, in March 2013, the DEA made the news when it was discovered, through a joint investigation involving the DEA, the New York City Police Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs, Homeland Security, and Pennsylvania’s Attorney General, that Gramercy Medical Center introduced more than $10 million worth of narcotic pulls into the Interstate Black Market.
Other recent headlines involving the New York DEA include:
- April 4, 2013: An NYPD officer out of the Harlem precinct was indicted for armed robber and narcotic trafficking.
- March 20, 2013: A Queens doctor was arrested for illegally distributing oxycodone.
- March 7, 2013: A Columbian drug kingpin was found attempting to smuggle 35 pounds of heroin into New York via freight containers.
- February 27, 2013: An undercover operation results in two individuals being charged in federal court for distributing the synthetic drug known as “bath salts.”
- January 31, 2013: A Manhattan doctor was arrested for illegally selling painkiller prescriptions to a drug trafficking organization.
- January 17, 2013: A pharmacy store manager in Yonkers was arrested and charged for illegally distributing oxycodone.
New York State Illicit Drug Use at a Glance
In New York, DEA careers are focused on illegal drug and prescription drug trafficking throughout the state. And the incidences of illicit drug use and drug-related deaths clearly exhibit the need for qualified professionals for New York DEA jobs:
- In 2009-2010, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, New York ranked among the top 10 states for drug use in the following categories: cocaine use among persons aged 12 and older; illicit drug dependence among persons aged 12 and older; and illicit drug dependence among person aged 18 to 25.
- About 9.82 percent of all New York residents reported the illicit use of drugs in the past month, compared to a nationwide average of 8.82 percent.
- The most common drug cited among persons entering drug treatment facilities was heroin, or about one-third of all admissions in 2011.
- Drug-induced deaths in New York, according to the CDC, totaled 1,797 in 2009, which is higher than motor vehicle accident deaths (1,265) and firearm deaths (958).