As you say, you have to be careful with their stuff, but they have pretty good access to intel, so often they break stories before anyone else does. The prospect that AQ and the South American drug lords would team up is truly terrifying, as we have been utterly incapable of interdicting anywhere near enough coke to make a real difference on the price. Now, it may be that weapons and so forth are easier to detect than blue jeans that have been soaked in coke, but I doubt it.