The following N-17f-2 filing is for the Dreyfus Strategic Municipals, Inc. and represents a surprise examination for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2003. Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm To the Board of Directors Dreyfus Strategic Municipals, Inc. We have examined management's assertion about Dreyfus Strategic Municipals, Inc.'s (the "Company") compliance with the requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of Rule 17f-2 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("the Act") as of May 31, 2003, with respect to securities and similar investments reflected in the investment account of the Company, included in the accompanying Management Statement Regarding Compliance with Certain Provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940. Management is responsible for the Company's compliance with those requirements. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on management's assertion about the Company's compliance based on our examination. Our examination was made in accordance with attestation standards established by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and accordingly, included examining, on a test basis, evidence about the Company's compliance with those requirements and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. Included among our procedures were the following tests performed as of May 31, 2003, and with respect to agreement of security and similar investments purchases and sales, for the period from February 28, 2003 (the date of last examination) through May 31, 2003; Count and inspection of all securities and similar investments located in the vault of Mellon Bank in New York, without prior notice to management; Confirmation of all securities and similar investments held by institutions in book entry form (i.e., the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, the Depository Trust Company and the Participant Trust Company); Reconciliation of confirmation results as to all such securities and investments to the books and records of the Company and Mellon Bank; Confirmation of all repurchase agreements, if any, with brokers/banks and agreement of underlying collateral with Mellon Bank's records; We believe that our examination provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. Our examination does not provide a legal determination on the Company's compliance with specified requirements. In our opinion, management's assertion that Dreyfus Strategic Municipals, Inc. was in compliance with the requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of Rule 17f-2 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 as of May 31, 2003 with respect to securities and similar investments reflected in the investment account of the Company is fairly stated, in all material respects. This report is intended solely for the information and use of management of Dreyfus Strategic Municipals, Inc. and the Securities and Exchange Commission and should not be used for any other purpose. ERNST & YOUNG LLP New York, New York July 15, 2003 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 FORM N-17f-2 Certificate of Accounting or Securities and Similar Investments in the Custody of Management Investment Companies Pursuant to Rule 17f-2 [17 CRF 270.17f-2] 1. Investment Company Act File Date examination Number: completed: 811- 5245 July 15, 2003 2. State Identification Number: AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MI NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY PUERTO RICO Other Specify: 3. Exact name of investment company as specified in registration statement: 4. Address of principal executive office: (number, street, city, state, zip code) 200 Park Avenue, 55th Floor , New York, NY 10166 INSTRUCTIONS The Form must be completed by investment companies that have custody of securities or similar investments Investment Company 1. All items must be completed by the investment company. 2. Give this Form to the independent public accountant who, in compliance with Rule 17f-2 under the Act and applicable state law, examine securities and similar investments in the custody of the investment company. Accountant 3. Submit this Form to the Securities and Exchange Commission and appropriate state securities administrators when filing the certificate of accounting required by Rule 17f-2 under the Act and applicable state law. File the original and one copy with the Securities and Exchange Commissions's principal office in Washington D.C., one copy with the regional office for the region in which the investment company's principal business operations are conducted, and one copy with the appropriate state administrator(s), if applicable. THIS FORM MUST BE GIVEN TO YOUR INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT Management Statement Regarding Compliance with Certain Provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940 We, as members of management of Dreyfus Strategic Municipals, Inc. (the "Company"), are responsible for complying with the requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of Rule 17f-2, "Custody of Investments by Registered Management Investment Companies," of the Investment Company Act of 1940. We are also responsible for establishing and maintaining effective controls over compliance with those requirements. We have performed an evaluation of the Company's compliance with the requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of Rule 17f-2 as of May 31, 2003. Based on this evaluation, we assert that the Company was in compliance with the requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of Rule 17f-2 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 as of May 31, 2003 with respect to securities and similar investments reflected in the investment account of the Company. Dreyfus Strategic Municipals, Inc. By: /s/Jim Windels Jim Windels, Treasurer The Dreyfus Corporation