THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                              (Jaipur, India)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                     March 23, 2000

              PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES JULIO F. MERCADO AS 
      DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR OF THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION

     The President today announced his intent to nominate Julio F.

Mercado as Deputy Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Mr. Julio F. Mercado, of Flower Mound, Texas, has distinguished himself throughout his twenty years with the Drug Enforcement Administration. He currently serves as the Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Division, overseeing a staff of 300, predominantly agents and investigators. From 1995-1997, Mr. Mercado assisted in the creation of the new Caribbean Division of the DEA based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, serving as Assistant Special Agent in Charge. From 1992-1995, he served as the Deputy Chief of Special Operations after spending two years as the Staff Coordinator for the Heroin Section, at DEA Headquarters. Mr. Mercado has also served as a Group Supervisor in the McAllen, Texas District Office, a Special Agent in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the New York Field Office. Prior to his DEA service, he was a Police Officer in the New York City Police Department.

Mr. Mercado received a B.S. in Criminal Justice from John Jay College.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at the Department of Justice is the lead Federal Agency in enforcing narcotics and controlled substances laws. The DEA investigates major narcotic violators who operate at interstate and international levels, manages a national narcotics intelligence system, seizes assets derived from drug trafficking, and coordinates operations with federal, state, and local enforcement authorities and counterpart agencies abroad.

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