How to Become a DEA Agent in Vancouver, Washington by Meeting Requirements

A DEA agent working in the Vancouver area is likely to encounter suspects involved in the trafficking and sale of methamphetamine, a drug with a particularly notorious reputation in the area. Because of its location near Portland, Oregon, as well as Interstate 5, the major trafficking route for the West Coast leading from Mexico through Los Angeles and up the coast to Canada, Vancouver is thought of by drug cartels as a staging area for the distribution of drugs throughout the region.

DEA jobs in Vancouver are available for those who qualify by meeting stringent requirements and who are then able to complete an intensive training process.

DEA Ops in Vancouver

Recently DEA agents in Vancouver participated in the largest methamphetamine seizure in Clark County’s history. A Mexican drug trafficking group was found to be distributing large amounts of methamphetamine from California throughout Vancouver and Portland. Agents from the Clark-Vancouver Regional Drug Task Force seized 74 pounds of meth worth a street value of nearly $1 million and recovered an additional $45,500 in cash resulting from the execution of six search warrants.

In another recent operation, DEA agents assisted in making more than a dozen arrests across Washington State in the culmination of an operation lasting several months and involving wiretaps. A Mexican drug cartel was found to be smuggling drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border into Texas and California, and then trafficking meth and heroin to Washington State for distribution in the Tri-Cities, Vancouver, Aberdeen, and Everett. Throughout the investigation authorities seized more than eight pounds of highly purified meth and over 56 pounds of heroin.

Working in cooperation with five other law enforcement agencies in the area, DEA agents in Vancouver arrested two men on charges relating to the trafficking of methamphetamine from California up to the Vancouver area. An undercover DEA agent talked with the men about the purity of their meth and arranged to first buy a quarter-pound and then four pounds of the drug from the suspects, who were arrested during the second deal in the parking lot of a Target store.

How to Become a DEA Special Agent

The process of applying for DEA jobs is designed to weed out weak applicants and leave only the most qualified potential agents for final evaluation. The minimum requirements for DEA jobs allow potential agents to qualify in one of the following ways:

  • Previous experience in law enforcement or illicit drug control, including arrest and apprehension of suspects and the organization and collection of evidence for court proceedings
  • An LL.B., J.D., M.A., or B.A. with a minimum 2.95 GPA
  • At least three years of experience and a B.A. with relevant coursework in a skilled area identified by the DEA as strategic, including:
    • Military
    • Foreign languages
    • Engineering
    • Pilot or maritime license
    • Accounting
    • Auditing

Education for DEA Careers

In the State of Washington there are seven public institutions offering at least B.A. degrees in subject areas identified as strategic, as well as numerous private and online institutions. Careers with the DEA begin by meeting the proper requirements, and it is recommended to also check with a local DEA recruiter for more information about DEA jobs. Residents in the Vancouver area are also nearby the assets the Portland region has to offer for DEA jobs and careers.

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