Which agency is primarily responsible for combating drug trafficking and determining drug illegality?

• A. FBI
• B. CIA
• C. NSA
• D. DEA

Answer: (D)

The agency tasked with enforcing controlled substances laws and fighting drug trafficking is the Drug Enforcement Administration. The DEA, part of the Department of Justice, is specifically designated to enforce the Controlled Substances Act, which defines which drugs are illegal and how they are scheduled. It conducts investigations, coordinates domestic and international drug interdiction, and works with other law enforcement partners to dismantle trafficking networks. The FBI handles a wide range of federal crimes but is not the primary agency for drug enforcement; the CIA focuses on foreign intelligence, and the NSA on signals intelligence. So the DEA is the agency most closely associated with combating drug trafficking and determining drug illegality.