US sees best results of drug war in 20 years

US: The U.S. government on Tuesday showed its best results in the war against drugs in 20 years but said it has yet to prove it can significantly reduce cocaine and other narcotics distribution over the long term.

Reports of cocaine shortages in 37 U.S. cities, leading to a 24 percent jump in its street price, are important milestone for the anti-drug effort, White House ‘drug czar’ John Walters told a news conference.

“But the real challenge is: can we sustain it?” said Walters, director of the National Drug Control Policy.

The statistics were announced before the United States launches what is likely to be a substantial aid plan to combat drug distribution in Mexico and along the border, where 90 percent of the cocaine to the United States enters.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon and U.S. President George W. Bush are hammering out details of the plan, which U.S. officials said could be worth $1 billion initially and grow over time. Walters gave no details but said the two leaders could announce a deal soon.

Walters credited Calderon’s crackdown on drug cartels since taking office in December and joint military-police sweeps in nine Mexican states for part of the success against cocaine trafficking across the United States.

San Diego, Wednesday, Reuters