The seven-figure sum would need to be paid in full before the DEA would begin processing the request

The DEA have responded a request for records related to the US’s involvement in the detention of Mexican drug lord Joaquin Guzman with a $1.4 million price tag. The seven-figure sum would need to be paid in full before the DEA would begin processing the request.

In fairness, the request is quite broad in scope, and the estimated 13,051 case files would create considerable workload. But assuming that $200,000 of that fee came from photocopying (which would put the total number pages at two million), that would put the time estimate at over 40,000 hours, or 1785 days. That’s almost five years of constant work without breaks.

The DEA might want to look into a more efficient system for processing - or invest in a redaction drone.

You can read more on the request page.

Image via Wikimedia Commons and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0