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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DEA Detroit Working Hard To Strengthen Relationships With The Middle Eastern Community

Since the September 11th attacks, tensions between the Middle Eastern community in the Detroit area and federal law enforcement have increased. The Detroit metropolitan area is home to the largest Middle Eastern population in the United States, numbering well over 500,000. To help ease those anxieties, SAC Michael Braun recently appeared on TV Orient in Detroit.

SAC Braun and Demand Reduction Coordinator Richard Isaacson were interviewed at length by Mr. Wally Jadan regarding drug trends in the Detroit area. The interview focused primarily on the abuse of predatory and club drugs, a drug trend of great concern within the Middle Eastern community. Mr. Braun also seized the opportunity to discuss employment opportunities with the DEA. Mr. Braun stressed that the DEA is proud to be the most ethnically and racially diverse agency in federal law enforcement and that we are very interested in hiring people from the Middle Eastern community. Mr. Jadan's station runs programming on cable television affiliates viewed throughout Michigan, Ohio and Canada by a predominately Arabic audience of 250,000 daily viewers.

SAC Braun and SA Isaacson shared valuable information with the audience pertaining to parenting tips, club drugs and gateway substances such as alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. DEA's efforts in the Arabic community have been met with strong support for our mission and efforts to reduce drug use and trafficking, which have affected the Middle Eastern community as negatively as the rest of Southeast Michigan. SAC Braun pledged his continued support to the community through strong enforcement operations and demand reduction initiatives.

Mr. Jadan recently contacted SAC Braun and reported that TV Orient had received tremendous, positive feedback from the viewing audience. Mr. Jadan and SAC Braun agreed to feature the Detroit Division on TV Orient on a regular basis.