Joint Interagency Task Force West

            Rear Admiral Bob Little 

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About Joint Interagency Task Force West

Joint Interagency Task Force West (JIATF West) is the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s (USINDOPACOM) Supported Commander for Department of Defense (DoD) support to law enforcement for Counter Drug (CD) and drug-related mission. The JIATF West team is made up of approximately 100 professional comprised of active duty and reserve military, DoD civilians, contractors, and U.S. Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) liaison officers.

Mission

Joint Interagency Task Force West, together with U.S. law enforcement, the interagency, and partner nations, leverages all-domain capabilities to identify and target illicit drug trafficking, enabling interdiction and apprehension to reduce the flow of drugs, degrade and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and transnational criminal organizations; reduce the risk to American lives and U.S. interests; and reduce threats to a free and open Indo-Pacific.  

Strategic End State

Transnational Criminal Organizations that threated the U.S., its territories, and its interests are denied the ability to traffic illicit drugs and precursor chemicals used to produce deadly narcotics that harm U.S. citizens; the environment is less permissive for their activities; and security, freedom, and prosperity of the U.S. and our shared interest with our Allies and Partners are enhanced.

More Resources

• JIATF West Facebook Page
• JIATF West Twitter(X) Page
• JIATF West LinkedIn Page
• JIATF West Instagram Page

The JIATF West Strategy

Our strategy is built on the premise of interagency cooperation. JIATF West partners with U.S. and foreign law enforcement agencies through regional U.S. Embassies and their respective country teams. We bring military and law enforcement capabilities together to combat transnational crime.

History

1989

The U.S. military was given statutory responsibility to detect and monitor aerial and maritime illicit drug shipments to the United States. With this statutory responsibility, came the first iteration of the national drug task forces; Joint Task Force (JTF) FOUR (4) in Key West Fla., JTF FIVE (5), in Alameda, Calif., JTF SIX (6), in El Paso, Texas, and JTF South in Panama City, Panama. JTF 5 ultimately became Joint Interagency Task Force-West (JIATF West). 

1994

Three JTFs, JTF-4, 5, and South were re-designated as Joint Interagency Task Forces (JIATFs) with expanded authorities under the National Interdiction Command and Control Plan (NICCP). JTF-4 became JIATF East, JTF-5 became JIATF West, and JTF-6 became JTF North. The JIATFs coordinated and directed the detection, monitoring, and sorting of suspect drug-trafficking aircraft and vessels. Targets were turned over to appropriate U.S. law enforcement authorities for apprehension.

1999

JIATF East became JIATF South. JIATF South is located in Key West, Fla., and continues to conduct counter illicit trafficking operations, intelligence fusion and multi-senior correlation to detect, monitor, and handoff suspected illicit trafficking targets. JIATF South was responsible for the CD Operations in the Caribbean and JIATF West oversaw the Eastern Pacific (EPAC).

2003

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict (ASD SO/LIC) issued a memorandum delineating the AORs for JIATF South, JIATF West, and JTF North. JIATF South assumed responsibility for detection and monitoring responsibilities as defined by 10 U.S.C. § 124 in a Joint Operating Area (JOA) within the USINDOPACOM AOR that extends west from the USSOUTHCOM AOR boundary, from 092° W to 120° W longitude. This portion of the EPAC was formerly the responsibility of JIATF West. JIATF West retained responsibility for executing CD missions in the remainder of USINDOPACOM’s AOR except for the JOA.

2004

JIATF West relocated to Honolulu, Hawaii from Alameda, Calif. In conjunction with the move, JIATF West developed a strategy with supporting activities to face the particular challenges of the Indo-Pacific region, and to meet the evolving needs of our law enforcement partners. JIATF West works closely with senior law enforcement leadership partners across the region to support major CD Operations.

2017

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) §1004 was the authority under which JIATF West conducted most of its activities in previous years. The 2017 NDAA re-apportioned §1004 to Title 10 U.S.C. Chapter 15, §284 and Title 10 U.S.C. Chapter 16, §333, which now serves as the primary authorities for DoD to provide training to foreign security partners.

Jan 2020

The FY2021 Defense-Wide Review (DWR) directed to “Deactivate Joint Interagency Task Force - West Operations Center/Systems” and transfer residual functions to USINDOPACOM and USNORTHCOM no later than FY 2023.

Aug 2021

DoD Director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy, and USINDOPACOM recommended reversal of the DWR decision and advocated for retention of JIATF West as a standing task force.

Nov 2021

In response to the DWR reversal, JIATF West formed a Mission Refinement Working Group (MRWG) to determine how to best leverage the TF’s limited resources and to best execute focused missions.

Apr 2022

Secretary of Defense approved the decision to retain JIATF West as a smaller, more focused organization that would concentrate on programs and activities directly supporting the CD and Counter Transnational Organized Crime (CTOC) missions. These programs and activities were to include tracking networks, exploiting intelligence, sharing information, and integrating with partners.  

Today

JIATF West brings military and law enforcement capabilities together to combat drug-related transnational crime in the Indo-Pacific Region. JIATF West's top priority is supporting law enforcement in their efforts to reduce the illicit flow of fentanyl, methamphetamine, Amphetamine-Type Stimulants and precursors intended for U.S. markets. JIATF West has four specific Lines Of Effort (LOE):

• LOE 1: Provide Intelligence Analysis to US LEAs and partners in support of Investigations and Operations
• LOE 2: Identify, Monitor, and Target Threat Networks associated with Precursor Chemicals and Pharmaceutical Equipment from the Indo-Pacific to the Western Hemisphere
• LOE 3: Identify, Monitor, and Target Threat Networks associated with Mexican drug trafficking organizations operating in the Indo-Pacific
• LOE 4: Enhance Strategic Partnerships to Safeguard U.S. Security, Freedom, and Prosperity

	Defense Intelligence Agency		Drug Enforcement Administration
	Federal Bureau of Investigation		National Geospatial Intelligence Agency
	Naval Criminal Investigation Service		United States Army
	United States Air Force		United States Coast Guard
	United States Customs and Border AgencyProtection		United States Navy
	United States Marine Corps		United States Immigration and Customs Agency Enforcement