An Overview of the El Paso Intelligence Center

The second lecture in the series on DEA’s Intelligence Division.

The El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC), administered by DEA, was established in 1974. The creation of EPIC resulted from a U.S. Department of Justice study about the myriad issues and problems affecting the U.S./Mexico border. This was the first major attempt at a permanent inter-agency operation in law enforcement. The principal direction was the sharing of information while protecting active case data. The emphasis on tactical intelligence and a 24-hour center provided the foundation for use of this data for “Agent” safety and actionable intelligence. L.D. Villalobos, DEA Section Chief, Research and Analysis, EPIC, and Carlos Almengor, Customs and Border Patrol Assistant Chief Patrol Agent, discuss the inner workings of this vital component to DEA.