Narcotics Enforcement/OCDETF

Since its origin some 40 years ago, OCDETF has grown into a formidable centerpiece of the Attorney General’s strategy to combat Transnational Organized Crime. Its primary mission is to identify, target, disrupt and dismantle the most threatening criminal networks to our nation. The OCDETF strategy is to achieve the greatest impact, and the most consequential outcomes against organized crime relies on four pillars (1) priority targeting (2) coordination (3) intelligence and information sharing and (4) directed resourcing.

The OCDETF strategy relies on a collaborative, multi-agency approach to enforcement. OCDETF leverages the resources and expertise of its partners in concentrated, coordinated, long term enterprise investigations of transnational organized crime, money laundering and major drug trafficking networks. Consequently, OCDETF attorneys are dedicated to patiently guiding a long-term investigation that often spreads years with the focus on building a prosecutable case against an entire organization which includes the identification, seizure and forfeiture of their assets and money. Additionally, the section works with our multi-agency Houston OCDETF Strike Force, which targets organizations of national interest. The Houston Strike Force encompasses federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in Houston, McAllen, Laredo and San Antonio.

Our district has AUSAs assigned to OCDETF in the Houston and Galveston office as well as in our South Texas offices in Corpus Christi, McAllen, Brownsville and Laredo.