The Pathway to Become a DEA Special Agent

Spoon of drugs Photo by Michael Longmire on Unsplash

Multi-awarded DEA supervisory special agent Brian Shanahan retired from the service in 2018 after serving the agency for more than 20 years. Throughout his career with the DEA, Brian Shanahan received numerous performance awards and commendations for his dedication to his profession. As a special agent, he has successfully infiltrated and dismantled over 30 drug organizations, arrested more than 275 individuals, and seized large volumes of illegal drugs and narcotics.

A DEA special agent belongs to an elite group of law enforcers tasked to fight the illegal drug trade. Special agents monitor drug trafficking and coordinate with other law enforcement agencies in building a cohesive and strong case that lead to prosecution and arrest of drug traffickers. DEA agents also collaborate with counterpart agencies in other countries to stop the flow of illegal drugs in and out of the country’s borders and to arrest international criminals.

To be selected as a DEA special agent, a candidate must have earned a bachelor’s degree in any field of study with a GPA of 2.95. Candidates with a degree in criminal justice are preferred, although not required. Those who have masters or Juris Doctor degrees have an advantage. Other areas of expertise that may be considered for a DEA special agent job include accounting, engineering, information systems, foreign language, and telecommunications. In these areas, no minimum GPA is required.

In addition to education, a candidate must be a US citizen between 21 and 36 years old. He or she must be in excellent physical condition, must be able to travel anywhere in the US, and must be able to carry and handle firearms. Physical requirements include excellent vision, no hearing loss, manual dexterity, and mental and emotional stability.

The rigorous hiring process takes up to 12 months or even more. The candidates go through qualifications review, written test, panel interview, drug test, medical exam, physical task assessment, polygraph test, psychological assessment, and background investigation before the final hiring decisions are made.

The Sources of Abused Substances

Substance Photo by Prem Pal Singh from Pexels

A former supervisory special agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Brian Shanahan worked with the agency for 20 years and was part of numerous investigations into domestic and international drug trafficking and money laundering. Brian Shanahan’s role in dismantling criminal organizations consistently earned him outstanding evaluations and resulted in several awards and commendations for his service in the DEA.The DEA has many different divisions aimed at curtailing drug abuse in all its forms. One is the Diversion Control Division, which investigates and prevents the diversion of controlled pharmaceuticals and legitimately sourced chemicals to ensure a continued supply for medical and commercial needs.

Contrary to popular belief, the most abused substances are prescription drugs and legitimately manufactured drugs. When these get diverted from lawful purposes, they enter the illegal trade market, and the DEA is forced to intervene. The Diversion Control Division also offers many programs to help institutions and organizations control the illicit drug trade.

Three Red Flags of Possible Money Laundering Operations

Dollar bills 

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

A retired supervisory special agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Brian Shanahan has been involved in the civil service sector for more than two decades. During his time with the DEA, Brian Shanahan oversaw several agents responsible for domestic and international drug trafficking and money laundering operations.

Accountants and other financial professionals are at risk of unintentionally supporting money laundering operations when they are unaware of possible red flags. Below are several warning signs of a potential money laundering operation that financial professionals must be aware of:

Inconsistent Information
Whenever documents cannot be verified, accountants and other professionals must be wary of a business being involved in money laundering. On top of that, a single business having multiple tax IDs is a potential red flag, as are clients who shield the identities of business owners and partners.

Reluctance to Provide Information
Any hesitancy from a client regarding the sharing of data or information is a major red flag of money laundering, according to the Financial Action Task Force. Ideally, clients should feel comfortable answering any financial questions posed by accountants, and should provide extra information to professionals when asked.

Unusual Money Transactions
Financial transactions between two or more parties with no clear business relationship is often cause for concern. The same is true of high cost of sales numbers when compared with the business’ size, or use of a small, rural bank when a big-city one might be more appropriate.