The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) enforces the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States by bringing to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States, or any other competent jurisdiction, those organizations and principal members of organizations involved in the growth, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for the illicit traffic in the United States; and to recommend and support non-enforcement programs aimed at reducing the availability of illicit controlled substances on the domestic and information markets.
DEA maintains investigative and intelligence files of criminal activities related to illicit drug traffic and drug abuse. It also keeps various records pertaining to the administration of DEA.
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. § 552) provides for public access to government records through written request. The DEA follows the FOIA regulations set forth by the Department of Justice.
The FOIA generally provides that any person has a right, enforceable in court, to obtain access to federal agency records, except to the extent that such records (or portions of them) are protected from public disclosure by one of nine exemptions, or by one of three special law enforcement record exclusions.
Submit Online via DEA's Public Access Link (PAL)
PAL is a web portal that allows you to create, submit, and track the status of your FOIA request(s). Prior to use, you must register and create a username and password at the link below. Please note the submission site provides the ability to submit a single FOIA request to DEA only and cannot be automatically sent to other agencies.
Sending your request via PAL will ensure your request reaches our office immediately. If you prefer not to submit your request via the PAL, DEA will accept your request via e-mail or United States Postal Service (USPS); however, use of e-mail or USPS will result in slower receipt and processing time.
E-mail requests may be sent to DEA.FOIA@dea.gov. Hard copy requests may be mailed to:
Drug Enforcement Administration
Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Unit
Attn: Intake Sub-Unit
8701 Morrissette Drive
Springfield, Virginia 22152
