DEA agents from the Portland District Office have had to deal with the growing urban trends of prescription drug abuse and the designer drugs phenomenon that use synthetic chemicals that mimic the effects of LSD and marijuana. Rural problems such as methamphetamine are still widespread, and because of Portland’s location on the I-5 corridor – a major drug trafficking route along the West Coast – the DEA must also monitor suspected shipments of contraband.
Prospective agents wanting to join the distinguished ranks of the DEA must go through a comprehensive and challenging application and training process to be eligible for DEA jobs in Portland, Oregon.
Meeting the Requirements for DEA Jobs and Careers
The process of how to become a DEA agent in Portland is long and complicated. Prospective agents need to meet certain minimum requirements including at least one of the following:
- Prior law enforcement or drug control experience including
- Preparation and gathering of evidence
- Surveillance or undercover operations
- Arrest and detention of suspects
- A B.A. with at least a 2.95 grade point average, or an M.S./M.A., LL.B., or J.D.
- A B.A. with at least three years of experience and related coursework in a strategic field:
- Foreign Languages
- IT
- Telecommunications
- Engineering
- Information Systems
- Accounting
There are at least 15 public and private education institution that offer bachelor’s degrees or higher degrees in strategic fields of study throughout the State of Oregon. There are also numerous online programs accessible anywhere throughout the state. Those interested in serving and protecting the Portland area through DEA careers can check with a local recruiter or academic adviser about the appropriate next steps in the application process.
Recent Portland DEA Busts
In a nationwide crackdown on designer drugs known as Spice, K2, bath salts, and plant food, DEA agents arrested over 90 people including a businessman in Tigard. Agents also seized 4.8 million doses of the synthetic cannabinoids along with materials capable of producing 13.6 additional packets and $36 million in cash.
20 people were arrested in a Seaside-area operation aimed at nabbing the suppliers of a significant amount of methamphetamine in the local county. Portland DEA agents, in cooperation with local law enforcement authorities, also seized heroin and $2,500 in cash. Agents executed three separate search warrants and discovered hundreds of uncapped hypodermic needles and buckets of feces and urine after neighbors at one of the locations complained about a high volume of traffic.
Portland DEA agents and the Portland Police Bureau’s Drugs and Vice Division recently made local history with the bureau’s single biggest drug seizure to date. Agents interdicted a vehicle trafficking a significant amount of narcotics after learning about the shipment from an undisclosed source. An additional three search warrants were executed, with the cumulative result being four people arrested and the discovery of seven firearms, a bulletproof vest, $156,000 cash, two pounds of cocaine, and 28 pounds of heroin- drugs worth a street value between an estimated $1.5-$2 million.