With Jay Ahern, U.S. Customs assistant commissioner, field operations. (Questions & Answers).(Interview)

Jay Ahern, assistant Customs commissioner for field operations, manages 70 percent of the agency'S 20,000 employees and oversees a $1 billion annual budget. In 26 years with Customs, Ahern has served in top management positions in California and Florida, and played a major role in organizing anti-smuggling and border-security activities. After he was appointed to his current post on dune 30, he reorganized the office to reflect Customs' new primary anti-terrorism mission.

Q. What role will Customs play in drug interdiction?

A. Job No. 1 is national security--anti-terrorism. Job No. 2 is narcotics interdiction. I will tell you, as a result of our heightened level of awareness, better …