 Michigan Meth Crackdown
Michigan Meth Crackdown
The selling and manufacturing of methamphetamines is a big problem in West Michigan. Raids are performed monthly and even weekly in some counties. Now a new law is looking to crack down.
The highly addictive and potentially deadly drug is mass produced in rural areas of Michigan. It's a crystallized powder people snort, smoke, inject, even eat it to get a rush. Michigan State Senator Patty Birkholz introduced a law Yesterday. It's aimed at putting meth on the same criminal level as cocaine and heroin.
The law would place stricter and more stringent standards for those using, delivering or manufacturing the drug. In 2002, 57-meth labs were raided in the state of Michigan. Close to 85% of those were in West Michigan. If you suspect a meth lab is in your neighborhood, call the Michigan Meth hotline at 1-866-METH-TIP.
Rhode Island Special Investigation: Kids Abuse Cold Medication
Ingredient In Coricidin Produces High
Most parents worry about their children using illegal drugs, things like marijuana and cocaine.
But Health Check 10 has learned of a new concern. Teens are abusing seemingly harmless cold medications; one in particular. Some have died as a result.
Triple C. Skittles. Cory. Dex.
They're all names for one over-the-counter drug: Coricidin HBP Cough & Cold. It's a medication that's gaining in popularity among teens but not for its medicinal benefits.
"My friends started telling me there is this new drug that I can take that won't show up on drug tests and basically it gets you really high," said one teenager, whose name News Channel 10 withheld.
What is getting kids really high is an ingredient in Coricidin: dextromethorphan, or DXM.
"DXM, when overdosed, stimulates a part of the brain that is very similar to those receptors stimulated by LSD so you get a dissassociative, an out-of-body kind of experience," said state Sen. Leo Blais, who's a pharmacist.
DXM is a cough suppressant and can be found in dozens of over-the-counter cough and cold medications: Nyquil, TheraFlu, Robitussin, Comtrex and Vicks 44, just to name a few.
So why is Coricidin the problem?
"Coricidin HBP has 30 milligrams of dextromethorphan per tablet. It's the most concentrated dosage form of dextromethorphan on the nonprescription market today," Blais said.
Sharon Morello, administrator for substance abuse treatment for the state of Rhode Island, said since January, the poison control center in Massachusetts has received 22 calls from Rhode Island regarding dextromethorphan.
Last year, the regional poison control center received 110 calls of dextromethorphan misuse from Rhode Island. It handled more than 1,000 calls from Massachusetts.
Morello said there were probably many more calls that were never made.
Morello said the problem is, "It's not illegal."
And information on the drug is unbelieveably easy to get.
Online, all you have to do is type in the word "dextromethorphan," "Coricidin," or "DXM" and you'll find many thousands of Web sites --some of them warnings about the misuse of this cough suppressant, but many more on how to use it to get high.
Coventry police officer Bob Sturdahl works at the town's high school. His first, first-hand experience with an overdose was last December at the school.
"The young lady that I dealt with, she was very irrational, delusional" and panicky, Sturdahl said. "She was on a PCB-type of high where she was very euphoric and then she became combative and eventually she became unresponsive and had some respiratory distress."
This particular drug sits in the same part of the brain as codeine does and other opiates, Morello said.
"High doses of codeine and other opiates sitting in that particular part of the brain will cause respiratory depression, which is usually the overdose that happens with death imminent," she said.
Kids have died from overdosing on DXM. While it's not considered an addictive drug, kids are becoming addicted.
"As much as I wanted to quit, it still wants me to keep going," the teenager said.
"His addiction and his use of the product has been on going for years," said an unidentified father. This dad spoke to News Channel 10 in the shadows and so does this 16-year-old drug user.
"Every time I did it, I did it with friends because I was scared, I was gonna do something stupid like kill myself or hurt somebody else," he said.
Both are talking about abuse of this over-the-counter medication: Coricidin HPB Cough & Cold. And while they speak in the dark, they want to put the spotlight on this growing problem.
"He's addicted to this product," the father said.
It's the dextromethorphan or DXM that's the problem. DXM is a cough suppressant that can be found in many products, but is most concentrated in the Coricidin Cough &Cold.
"The normal dosage is 10 to 20 milligrams in an adult but in Coricidin it's 30 milligrams," said pharmacist Leo Blais.
It's not uncommon for a teen addicted to DXM to take 30 tablets at a time. They'd have to drink about two bottles of Robitussin to get the same effect.
That's why Coricidin is usually the drug of choice.
This dad said his son has used up to 40 tablets of the Coricidin at a time to get what can be described as an LSD type of high. He said his son has gone from an athletic above-average student, "to failing the 8th, 9th and now the 10th grade."
"The two teens that I spoke with said that they used it once and they felt that they were dying."
Claire Silva is the coordinator for the Coventry Substance Abuse Prevention task force. She's been aware of the problem for several months now and thinks everyone, especially parents should be aware.
"Look for signs, look for, you know, eratic behavior or, just changes from how they were to now," said Silva. "Look for empty packages. And if you think a typical drug test will detect it, you're wrong."
"We're talking about an over-the-counter medication that doesn't show up in urine screens," said Sharon Morello of the Rhode Island Department of Health.
There is a specific urine screen for DXM but it has to be requested. That's where parents can help make a difference and speak up.
And health care providers, too, need to know to ask about or suspect a DXM overdose if other drugs aren't detected. Not detecting it can be deadly.
"You can have convulsions, seizures...>>
As a state senator, Leo Blais says he can't do anything about it legislatively but as a pharmacist and owner of the Pawtuxet Valley Prescription and Surgical Center in Coventry, he can and has taken Coricidin Cough and Cold off the shelves and replaced it with a sign to see the pharmacist.
State health officials said they plan on asking all pharmacies to do the same thing, calling this a significant public health issue.
"We're calling upon schools to work with their local prevention task forces to provide education around their abuse and especially education to parents as well," said Craig Stenning of the Rhode Island Department of Health.
This dad says the news can't get out fast enough, especially if it helps other families avoid what his son is going through.
"Effectively, he's checked out of life," he said.
News Channel 10 contacted the makers of Coricidin, the Schering-Plough company. The company said it's concerned about reports of abuse and that it is "co-chairing an industry task force" that is "working with the Partnership for a Drug Free America to develop educational materials, including an online initiative to educate teens."
Alaska police raid suspected meth lab
Acting on a tip left on an Alaska State Troopers office answering machine the day before, Alaska drug investigators raided a suspected methamphetamine lab on Atigun Street Wednesday morning.
Though no arrests were made, Alaska law enforcement officials seized what they believed to be meth and chemicals associated with its manufacture.
"Somebody called up and said, 'Hey, Keith is cooking meth,'" and gave a North Pole address, said Alaska Trooper Teague Widmier, a member of the Fairbanks unit of the Alaska Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Enforcement.
"I had been out here about 1 1/2 years ago after getting complaints from the neighbors regarding chemical smells. But when I came out, there was nobody home and I couldn't smell anything at the time."
When Widmier showed up this time, Keith Hoffman was in his front yard. Hoffman was wearing only pants and had what Widmier suspected was iodine stains on his hands and pants.
There was also a "pungenty, chemical odor" emitting from the small frame house, Widmier said.
Widmier said the Alaska property was seized until he could get a warrant to search the house. Hoffman and his wife, Susanne, were told not to leave.
While Widmier was away getting the search warrant, Hoffman started cooperating with Alaska investigators who stayed behind to make sure nothing was disturbed, Widmier said.
"He admitted he had been manufacturing meth for a year to 14 months," Widmier said.
Hoffman allegedly admitted to investigators he had cooked a batch of the drug Monday, a statement Widmier said is consistent with the smell coming from the house. Hoffman also allegedly confessed to cooking meth about once a week to get 2 to 3 grams each time for personal consumption.
Neither Hoffman nor his wife were arrested, but the pair faces felony charges of second-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance pending Alaska state crime laboratory test results of samples taken from chemicals found in the house, Widmier said.
The Office of Children's Services, formerly known as the Division of Family and Youth Services, will take custody of Susanne Hoffman's 11-year-old son. The boy was living with the couple in the cluttered 20-by-20-foot house. He was in school when investigators and federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents showed up at about 9 a.m. Wednesday.
Widmier said flammable chemicals that can be used in making the highly addictive drug were found both on and around a nightstand in the main room of the three-room home.
"He had it right next to the furnace, about 5 inches away from his furnace," Widmier said.
There was also a coffee filter on top of the nightstand that had what is believed to be meth residue in it, Widmier said.
Local and federal officers removed several chemicals and ingredients. Hoffman slowly paced along the dirt road in front of his home while Alaska police removed the chemicals and placed them on a white table set up nearby.
Men charged in North Dakota meth bust
Two Crookston, North Dakota men were charged Wednesday with conspiracy to make methamphetamine after their apartment was raided Monday by a North Dakota drug task force.
One of the men is in jail in Crookston, North Dakota awaiting trial; the other is still on the run, according to Polk County, North Dakota Attorney Greg Widseth.
As reported in Wednesday's Herald, the two men were observed Monday by a Polk County sheriff's deputy bringing items out of a basement apartment window at 903 Barrette St. in Crookston, North Dakota.
On observing a cooler with anhydrous ammonia near the two men and seeing other drug-related items, Deputy Nathan Brouse arrested one man while the other escaped.
Thomas Joseph Laird, 34, and Silvino Gonzales, 42, were charged in Polk County, North Dakota District Court in Crookston, North Dakota on Wednesday with conspiracy to manufacture meth. Gonzales was arrested, and a warrant has been issued for Laird's arrest.
Gonzales' charge carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $1 million fine, and the charge carries a minimum penalty of not less than four years.
Laird's charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years and a $1 million fine.
Both men also were charged with unlawful possession of anhydrous ammonia, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $50,000 fine.
Gonzales pleaded not guilty Wednesday in court and is being held on a $100,000 cash bond, or a $10,000 bond if he meets certain conditions. He's scheduled to have a pre-trial conference Dec. 8, and a trial date of Dec. 16 was set. Gonzales previously was convicted for drug possession twice in 1998 and in 1993, Widseth said in a news release.
Laird is on probation for a previous conviction.
Drugs' abundance keeps Maine task force busy
AUGUSTA, Maine -- County drug investigators have executed about 90 search warrants in Kennebec County so far this year, leading to more than 50 arrests on drug charges, Kennebec sheriff's Capt. Jonathan H. Perkins said Monday.
"Marijuana is so much not the problem here. The problem is heroin and cocaine and crack, and drugs like OxyContin," Perkins said.
Perkins said Kennebec County, Maine investigators destroy the equivalent of about 500 marijuana plants a year, but of the more than 50 drug-related arrests by county deputies this year, 30 to 35 are what he terms "the more serious drug arrests" involving drugs such as cocaine, crack and heroin rather than marijuana.
Over the past two years, Kennebec sheriff's officials have assembled the Kennebec County Drug Operations Team, members of which work closely with their counterparts in the Somerset County Sheriff's Department, Perkins said. Deputies from both counties have joined forces in making arrests both in Kennebec and Somerset counties, Maine he said.
"I don't think that there is any other drug task force in Maine doing as much in terms of the number of search warrants as the combined Somerset-Kennebec task force," Perkins said.
He said drugs have become so pervasive in Kennebec County that state and county drug investigators have all they can handle working on their own.
"It's just so prevalent (state drug agents) can't keep up, so we, in conjunction with the Somerset sheriff's office, are working together as a joint task force; and it's already working very well," Perkins explained. "We've been doing search warrants from Jackman to Litchfield. ... MDEA is cranking full time, the Augusta, Maine Police Department is investigating their own, the Waterville Police Department is doing theirs, and we still are able to do over 90 search warrants just in Kennebec County, Maine."
Maine police across Maine have destroyed the equivalent of 14,399 marijuana plants this year, said Maine Drug Enforcement Agent Jonathan Richards, who keeps statistics for the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. Police estimate that each plant can produce up to a pound of marijuana in its one-year life cycle.
"Mostly it comes in this time of year because we're in harvest season, and that does drive our activity up," he said.
"They claim each plant will yield a pound a year. It's an annual plant and dies each year," Richards explained. "That's a high number. But it could be thousands of pounds" that have been taken off the market.
He said that total includes only marijuana grown in Maine, whether captured as plants or final products. But marijuana grown commercially elsewhere and imported is not included.
"There's definitely an influx (of marijuana) this time of the year" when crops are harvested, Perkins said.
Drug Trends South Dakota
Drug Situation:The use of methamphetamine continues to affect the rural areas, as well as the urban areas, throughout the state of South Dakota. This increased use and demand for methamphetamine has continued over the past year. Methamphetamine has come to the attention of the public through an increasingly aware media, informed public officials from the local to national level, and concerned citizens. Public efforts are underway by law enforcement, politicians, social service agencies and the media to further educate the public as to the dangers of methamphetamine use and abuse. In addition, marijuana is readily available in all areas of South Dakota. It continues as the most abused of the illegal controlled substances. Also, the controversial issue of "hemp" remains a high profile topic. Interstate 90, which runs east to west through South Dakota, is increasingly being used for the transportation of drugs and currency by trafficking organizations.
Cocaine: Cocaine HCl is readily available throughout all parts of South Dakota.While the availability of crack cocaine is increasing in eastern South Dakota, abuse is still limited in western sections of the state. The cocaine is obtained from Mexican sources in Sioux City, Iowa; Kansas City, Missouri; and California. In addition some distributors in Rapid City, South Dakota obtain cocaine from sources in the Denver area.
Heroin: Heroin is typically available only in personal use quantities in South Dakota.
Methamphetamine: The availability of Mexican methamphetamine continues to increase throughout South Dakota. Methamphetamine in eastern South Dakota is obtained from sources in Sioux City, Iowa, or from sources in western states such as Texas, Arizona, and California. Methamphetamine is distributed locally by either long-time Caucasian residents or Hispanic males who have recently moved to South Dakota. Mexican methamphetamine in western South Dakota is primarily shipped directly from cities such as Denver, Phoenix, San Francisco, and San Diego using FedEx or UPS. Small toxic labs have steadily increased over the last few years. Local lab operators are obtaining chemicals at local hardware stores, truck stops, and department stores. Production capabilities of these small labs are usually less than one ounce. The stealing of anhydrous ammonia fertilizer from farm supply stores and farmers has also emerged as a serious problem in this agricultural state.
Predatory Drugs: MDMA (Ecstasy) in eastern South Dakota is limited but appears to be increasing. MDMA is more readily available in western portions of South Dakota; however, the number of rave parties remains stable. Law enforcement in South Dakota reports limited availability of LSD.
Marijuana: Marijuana is readily available throughout South Dakota. Multi-hundred pound quantities are transported into the state from the southwest border of the United States. Smaller quantities are also shipped via express mail services or purchased from Hispanic males in the Sioux City area and driven back to Sioux Falls. Higher purity marijuana is produced in indoor grow operations in the Sioux Falls area, which typically contain less than 100 plants. Larger indoor operations have been found in the Rapid City area in western South Dakota, ranging from a few plants to several hundred. During the past two years, members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe have attempted to plant fields of "hemp" on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
Other Drugs: OxyContin is a growing problem throughout South Dakota, and has been found at methamphetamine laboratory sites. According to the South Dakota Department of Health, hydrocodone products, codeine, and Darvocet-N are the most popular abused pharmaceutical substances in the state. They are obtained by forged prescriptions and by phony call-ins.
University of Delaware chemist recognized for techniques used in creating new drugs
7:00 p.m., Nov. 19, 2003--Douglass F. Taber, University of Delaware professor of chemistry and biochemistry, has been elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Founded in 1948, AAAS is the worlds largest federation of scientists, with more than 134,000 members from 130 countries and 272 affiliated societies with more than 10 million members.
Fellows are elected by their peers, and 291 new fellows, who have advanced science or fostered applications deemed scientifically or socially distinguished, will be honored at the 2004 AAAS annual meeting in February in Seattle.
Taber, who conducts research on the construction of molecular rings with particular emphasis on synthesizing the pain-killing drug morphine, likened the AAAS award to a lifetime achievement award.
The organization serves as an extended community of scientists, he said, and the honor is recognition from that community of your accomplishments and the impact you have made.
Through the course of his career, Taber has published 152 papers and in 2002, 86 of those papers were cited by other researchers. Some of those citations were for papers he had published 20 years ago or more.
Our interest is in ring construction, Taber said of his laboratory, which includes postdoctoral researchers and Delaware graduate and Delaware undergraduate students. What motivates us, ultimately, is pharmaceuticals.
Through advances in modern technology, chemists now have a keen understanding of biological receptors and can readily generate models of hundreds of thousands of molecules to see what fits, Taber said.
Those hundreds of thousands can be pared down to the 5,000 that best fit the receptor. Those will be sorted into organic chemical space, Taber said, and a short list of 100 will be generated that between them are representative of that space.
This approach breaks down, Taber said, when the medicinal chemist finds that the molecules on the list of 100 are too complicated to manufacture, with molecular ring construction presenting a particular hurdle. Our efforts are aimed at more effective ring construction, he said.
Taber developed new molecular reactivity leading to a method for organic ring construction, then illustrated the power of the method by using it to make morphine. This is not the first synthesis of morphine, he said, but it is the first time it has been made in this way. In the process, rings are formed through intramolecular carbon-hydrogen insertion.
Drug Trends Hawaii
Drug Situation: The Hawaiian Islands are located approximately 2,500 miles from the continental United States. The population is comprised of several ethnic groups, to include native Hawaiians, Japanese, Korean, Phillipino, African-American, and Caucasian. All of the illegal drugs that are available on the mainland can also be found in the islands, with cocaine HCl, crack cocaine, crystal methamphetamine ("ice"), Ecstasy, and OxyContin being the leading threats in the state. Hawaii also remains the producer of some of the highest-grade marijuana in the country (such as "Kona Gold"), and it is suspected that much of it is exported to the mainland.
Cocaine: Cocaine HCl remains popular and readily available throughout Hawaii, and is often used in conjunction with other drugs including alcohol, heroin, and/or marijuana. The tourist industry throughout the state perpetuates the demand for user quantities, therefore ounce type dealers flourish in the bar, nightclub and hotel scenes. Crack cocaine is also readily available. Most crack is converted "as needed," usually an ounce or two at a time, although occasionally pound quantities have been smuggled into Hawaii.
Heroin: Much of the heroin seized in Hawaii is black tar heroin, although there is also the smuggling and distribution of Southeast Asian heroin. The majority of seized heroin is body carried into the islands from Los Angeles by Mexican organizations and distributed throughout the state by a close-knit cell of distributors. Mexican organizations with bases in Los Angeles operate cells in Hawaii, rotating members between Hawaii, California, other states, and Mexico. Heroin is distributed on a "call and deliver" system with extensive use of pagers, cell phones, calling cards, and pay phones. Mexican organizations recruit local distributors to lease houses, cars and cellular telephones for their on-site representatives. Much of the heroin use is associated with the traditional age/ethnic group (white, middle class, 30s - 40s), although younger persons are now experimenting with the drug. Addicts are daily users of which a small percentage acts as secondary or tertiary distributors to finance their own habits.
Methamphetamine: Crystal methamphetamine ("ice") is the drug of choice in Hawaii, where it is readily available, with the majority of it converted into ice before distribution. In the past few years, ice-related crimes have increased as the drug has increased in popularity and availability. The Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring program in 2001 revealed 38.1% of adult males arrested from January September 2001 tested positive for meth abuse. Furthermore, male and female arrestees in Honolulu tested positive for meth at a higher rate than for marijuana (29.8%) and cocaine (11.2%). Pound quantities of crystal meth arrive from the southwest regions of the United States smuggled by couriers and the by private parcel services, such as Fed-ex and DHL. Local addicts can purchase ice from a variety of sources, since ounce dealers are abundant throughout the state. Most of the meth lab seizures in Hawaii are small "conversion" laboratories. Analysis of seized glassware and chemicals reveal that most laboratories are capable of manufacturing ounce quantities.
Club Drugs: There has been a continued increase in the use of Ecstasy in Hawaii among teens and young adults 20-30 years old. Ecstasy is not manufactured here, but is shipped from the mainland through the U.S. mail or smuggled on incoming flights through the Honolulu airport. Ecstasy abuse is rising among the large military population in Hawaii. Local military officials view ecstasy use as the major drug use issue effecting active duty military in Hawaii.
Marijuana: Marijuana is accessible throughout Hawaii, which maintains its status as a "national leader" in the production of high-grade marijuana. Homegrown marijuana, either harvested from sophisticated indoor grows or from outdoor grows, remains a staple for the local demand and for export to the mainland. Medical marijuana certificates are a concern on the islands, where local users are permitted to grow several plants at their residences for personal consumption. The availability of marijuana is perceived by the local population as normal. Small, mail order marijuana operations from the islands to the mainland exist and survive by shipping small quantities through air parcel providers. Marijuana may be shipped to the West Coast in shipping containers marked "household goods," as growers allegedly move to the mainland, although this has not been confirmed. Marijuana is frequently encountered in the public schools among students as young as sixth grade. A recent survey of high school students indicated that 70% of the respondents have easy access to marijuana.
Other Drugs: The most common sources for diversion of pharmaceutically controlled substances continue to be doctor shoppers; employees who steal from the drug inventory; prescription fraud, including forgeries and other types of prescription falsification; and physicians who indiscriminately prescribe and write prescriptions for reasons other than legitimate medical purposes, outside the scope of their professional practices. Hydrocodone is one of the most abused pharmaceutical drugs in Hawaii, ranging from $3-$9 per tab on the street. OxyContin's street price has risen 20% (80 mg/$18; 40 mg/$9; 20 mg/$4-5; 10 mg/$3) due to increased demand. Local pharmacies in Hilo report that individuals are purchasing the maximum limits for pseudoephedrine-based OTC drugs.
Drug Trends Montana
Drug Situation: Methamphetamine production and use remains the primary drug issue faced by law enforcement, though the emergence of club drugs (primarily Ecstasy) has escalated in the larger communities. More traditional drugs, such as marijuana and cocaine, remain popular, as well as a variety of other illegal substances. Marijuana continues to be the most abused illegal drug in the state. Heroin is not a popular drug of abuse in Montana. The total number of persons admitted for drug treatment in Montana for year 2001 (most recent information available) was 4,501, representing a 1.2 percent increase from year 2000.
Cocaine: The 2001 Montana Youth Risk Survey (most recent information available) results indicated that nine percent of high school students had used cocaine at some point. In a 2002 survey, an estimated twelve percent of the Montana adult population reported lifetime cocaine use. Billings and Great Falls are the primary cities with cocaine use, although cocaine and crack use is also considered to be a very serious concern on Native American reservations as well. The majority of cocaine comes from Mexican polydrug trafficking groups with sources of supply located in the state of Washington and the Southwest Border states. Crack cocaine is available in ounce quantities, though it is confined primarily to larger cities.
Heroin: The DEA Billings Office reports that heroin abuse and distribution is not a major law enforcement problem in the state. Heroin availability is limited and the trafficking and sales of heroin are declining. Mexican groups transport heroin to the state from Los Angeles and Houston, usually trafficking in ounce and multi-ounce quantities. Black tar heroin use appears to be on the increase in the western part of the state, primarily in Missoula.
Methamphetamine: Methamphetamine is increasingly available throughout Montana. The Montana Youth Risk Survey that thirteen percent of high school students reported using methamphetamine during 2001 (most recent information available). In another recent survey, nine percent of the adult population reported using methamphetamine at some point during their lifetime. Law enforcement officers across the state identify methamphetamine as the most significant drug problem in their jurisdictions. Methamphetamine cases represented 52 percent of all Montana DEA arrests during fiscal year 2002. The majority of methamphetamine in the state is trafficked by Mexican national groups. Additionally, numerous small-scale local laboratory operators, producing up to ounce quantities of methamphetamine for personal use and/or local distribution, are appearing with more frequency. Most of these laboratories are operated by Caucasians. State and local authorities have assumed a greater seizure role in recent years.
Club Drugs: Ecstasy is becoming a significant law enforcement problem in the larger cities of Billings and Great Falls, and the college communities of Bozeman and Missoula. As raves become more common in the Billings area, Ecstasy use will likely expand. Ecstasy is typically purchased in tablet form. It is distributed by local independent dealers who travel to Denver or other larger cities to procure small quantities of one thousand or more tablets. Other Club drugs, such as GHB and Ketamine, have not manifested themselves as a serious concern as yet. LSD use and availability appear to be limited to the college communities of Bozeman and Missoula. LSD is not widely available in other areas of the state.
Marijuana: Marijuana is readily available throughout Montana. It is the most commonly abused drug in the state. A recent survey conducted by the Montana State Addictive and Mental Disorders Division indicated that 47 percent of all high school students had used marijuana in their lifetime. The survey also found that 27 percent described themselves as regular users. The majority of the marijuana consumed in Montana originates in Mexico. Mexican polydrug organizations transport marijuana in vehicles from the southwest border states to Montana. Locally produced marijuana is primarily grown indoors, with grows generally consisting of less than 100 plants. Trafficking groups normally acquire supplies of marijuana from the Southwest Border area and smuggle hundred-pound loads into Montana on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Potent B.C. Bud or Kind Bud from the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada is increasing in popularity and availability. B.C. Bud is often smuggled directly into Montana across the Canadian border. This marijuana would then be transshipped to other areas of the United States.
Other Drugs: Following national trends, OxyContin has become a pharmaceutical drug of abuse in Montana. Quantities of OxyContin are being illegally distributed in various areas in the state. Dilaudid and other opiate pain killers are also in demand on the illicit market.
Drug Trends Florida
Drug Situation: Florida is a prime area for international drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, and a principal thoroughfare for cocaine and heroin transiting to the northeastern United States and Canada. The over 8,000 miles of Florida coastline, and the short distance of 45 miles between The Bahamas and Florida provide virtually unlimited opportunities for drug trafficking organizations to use maritime conveyances to smuggle drugs. Miami International Airport (MIA), which is a gateway for heroin and MDMA trafficking in Florida, continues to be the number one airport in the U.S. for international freight and number three in the world for total freight. South Florida, specifically Miami-Dade and Broward counties, are still favorite areas of drug traffickers for the smuggling of large quantities of cocaine, heroin and marijuana into the continental United States (CONUS) from South America, Central America and the Caribbean. Smuggling occurs via various types of maritime conveyances and cargo freighters, as well as via private and commercial aircraft. Additionally, there is a continued shift to ground transportation (e.g. bus, rail and vehicle) as a means of transporting narcotics throughout the state and to northern destinations. Miami is the primary domestic command & control center for Colombian narcotics traffickers. Colombian traffickers represent the greatest international threat to the Miami Field Division (MFD). MFD enforcement groups continue to target the transportation infrastructure of Colombian traffickers in the Eastern Pacific, the Caribbean and within Florida. Florida leads the nation in MDMA seizures. South Florida has been identified as a primary gateway for MDMA smuggling into the CONUS. The MFD will target specific enforcement initiatives towards the identification and dismantling of groups operating in Florida, with emphasis on South Florida. MIA is a major entry point for South American heroin into the United States. Presently the overwhelming majority of South American heroin enters the CONUS via MIA. Methamphetamine remains a large problem in the MFD and is the primary drug of concern in Central Florida. During all of FY 2002 there were 127 clandestine methamphetamine laboratories seized throughout Florida. For the first six months of FY 2003, there have already been 100 methamphetamine lab seizures.
Cocaine: Cocaine is readily available in multi-kilogram amounts throughout Florida and remains the primary drug of choice. South American trafficking organizations dominate the importation and distribution of cocaine in Florida. Smuggling via the use of go-fast vessels and pleasure craft, primarily from The Bahamas, and commercial cargo remains the biggest trafficking threat in the MFD. The Caribbean serves as a major transit zone for cocaine from Central and South America into Florida. Mexican nationals continue to be the primary cocaine distribution groups throughout the Florida Panhandle. These groups transport their cocaine in passenger vehicles from the U.S. southwest border areas. Miami is the primary source for the cocaine found in the Jacksonville area. Couriers transport the drug via Interstate-95 from South Florida. The vast majority of the cocaine available in Fort Myers and Naples comes from Miami via couriers in private automobiles utilizing Interstate-75. Interdiction arrests and seizures indicate that traffickers from Sarasota to Tampa are also utilizing Interstate-75 from Miami.
Crack Cocaine: Crack cocaine continues to be available throughout Florida and remains a drug of choice for many throughout the state. Cocaine HCl powder from sources in Miami continues to be converted into crack in other areas of the state. Local conversion of cocaine powder into crack makes it highly available in southwest and northern Florida. Crack cocaine remains a problem statewide in lower socio-economic areas. Crack cocaine is the most serious drug problem in the Orlando area and abuse remains high. Most of the cocaine HCl brought into the Orlando area is converted into crack. After being converted to crack, the cocaine is sold locally in the Orlando metropolitan area and transported northward to Georgia, Alabama, the Carolinas and the Atlantic coast areas of the U.S. Cocaine, both crack and HCl, are readily available throughout the Jacksonville area, however crack cocaine poses the most serious threat to the region. The distribution and usage of crack is linked to an extensive amount of criminal activity and has placed economic burdens on the community. Cocaine is regularly transported to Jacksonville in private and commercial vehicles along Interstate-95 from South Florida. The cocaine is either converted into crack and distributed, or is broken down, adulterated and sold to drug distribution organizations based in northeast Florida, South Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas.
MDMA: Florida leads the nation in MDMA seizures and international MDMA traffickers are using South Florida as an importation and distribution staging area. The vast majority of MDMA distributed in Florida originates in Europe and is generally smuggled via postal/parcel services and by passengers on commercial airline flights. Couriers continue to conceal tablets in luggage and assorted items, but more couriers are starting to ingest pellets with MDMA. Points of origin for most flights are European and it is evident that non-source locations (i.e. Netherlands and Germany) are being used more frequently. Miami remains the primary source location for MDMA trafficking in Florida. MDMA continues to be widely available and used in the club scene in South Florida (Miami to Fort Lauderdale). Large-scale MDMA groups operate in the Tampa Bay area. MDMA, in multi-thousand dosage units, is shipped into Tampa/St. Petersburg from Germany and The Netherlands. Additionally, the international airports of Tampa and Orlando, plus the two major highway arteries to the Miami area make the acquisition of MDMA an easy task. MDMA arrives in the Fort Myers area from Miami and Fort Lauderdale. MDMA is popular among the club scene in Fort Myers. Central Florida's "rave scene," nightclubs and tourist atmosphere provide a constant market for MDMA and MDMA continues to grow in popularity with high school and college age individuals. Bulk quantities of MDMA in the Orlando area are shipped, mailed, or smuggled via courier from Western Europe, usually Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Spain or the United Kingdom. A majority of the MDMA found in Jacksonville is brought into the area from Orlando, South Florida or directly from Europe. MDMA is extremely popular in Jacksonville, especially among teenagers and young adults and most distributors tend to be college students. Sources of supply originate in The Netherlands and shipments are received via mail. Some MDMA is brought into the area from sources in South and Central Florida and is delivered in personal vehicles. Additionally, "spring break" activities in the Panhandle are a prime time for MDMA sales and usage and reports indicate that users are becoming younger.
Heroin: Heroin remains readily available throughout Florida, with the highest concentrations in the southern and central parts of the state. MIA is a major gateway for South American heroin distribution throughout the northeast United States. The primary method in which South American heroin is smuggled into Florida is through the use of couriers on commercial flights. The couriers ingest the heroin in quantities up to 1 kilogram.
South American heroin is prevalent in the Tampa Bay area. Sources of supply are predominantly from Miami and Orlando. The vast majority of heroin in the Fort Myers area is supplied from Miami and transported overland in multi-ounce quantities by couriers. Most of the heroin activity in Fort Myers/Naples is street-level. Heroin is a serious drug problem in the Orlando metropolitan area. The majority of the heroin in Central Florida is South American in origin, and Puerto Rico is one of the transshipment points between South America and Orlando. Heroin trafficking within the Jacksonville area is almost exclusively Colombian in origin. Heroin is transported from the Miami area via private and commercial vehicles to Jacksonville for further distribution.
Methamphetamine: The Tampa Bay area is the focal point of all methamphetamine distribution and abuse within Florida. Methamphetamine is transported into Florida, in multi-pound increments, by Mexican/California drug trafficking organizations based in California and Texas. Mexican traffickers have become entrenched in Central Florida. The Mexican organizations make use of this migrant pipeline to move methamphetamine. Aside from the Mexican organizations, clandestine methamphetamine lab seizures have taken an explosive upturn in Florida. For FY 2002 there were 127 labs seized, compared to 28 labs seized for all of FY 2001. For the first two quarters of FY 2003, there have already been 100 labs seized throughout the state. These clandestine labs tend to be small "mom and pop" operations, but taken as a whole they represent a growing danger. The trafficking of methamphetamine has increased considerably in the Jacksonville area. As in other areas of the state, labs were small but highly toxic. Many were found in hotel rooms and trucks. Investigations conducted in Pensacola indicate that out-of state methamphetamine manufacturers seek precursor chemicals in northwest Florida. Methamphetamine produced in super labs from Texas and California transits the area along the Interstate-10 corridor. The abuse of crystal methamphetamine is also a problem. The Southeast Regional Lab (SERL) reports that crystal methamphetamine averages above 80% in purity and is showing up in South Florida clubs, where users are known to mix usage with MDMA. There has also been a significant increase in crystal methamphetamine use within the homosexual community in South Florida, specifically Fort Lauderdale. Intelligence has also indicated that Mexican-produced crystal methamphetamine is distributed in South Florida via California. The primary distribution method utilized by these organizations has been parcel delivery. Methamphetamine abuse continues to increase throughout the central and northern parts of the state. Methamphetamine abuse in northwest Florida is increasing. Methamphetamine abuse also continues to rise in the Orlando area, and has been commensurate with an increase in the number of clandestine laboratories seized in the area.
Club Drugs: MDMA is the most readily available dangerous drug throughout Florida. LSD remains available, however seizures are rare. GHB is also readily available in Florida, especially in and around colleges and universities. MDMA is found at rave parties in all parts of Florida and is frequently used in conjunction with other illegal and/or prescription drugs. GHB is commonly abused in Florida, as well as two precursors - GBL and Butanediol (BD).
Marijuana: Marijuana, both domestically grown and imported, is readily available throughout the Florida. Domestic indoor cultivation is a significant industry throughout Florida. The availability of plant hot houses and large commercial nurseries allow traffickers ready access to the necessary equipment for indoor grow operations, particularly in southwest Florida. The Fort Myers RO reports that growers are aware of federal threshold limits and are growing less than 100 plants per grow to reduce the risk of federal penalties. Marijuana is imported into the Jacksonville area from the U.S. southwest border, Canada and Jamaica, by every available transportation method. The Panhandle region continues to be a transit area for marijuana from Mexico. Seizures continue along Interstate-10 from trucks, rental vehicles and trailers traveling east into Florida. Mexican commercial grade marijuana continues to be brought into the Orlando area from the southwest border. It is concealed in hidden compartments in passenger cars and large commercial vehicles, in luggage on commercial air flights or concealed within freight shipments.
Diversion: Pharmaceutical drugs remain widely available throughout Florida, especially OxyContin and Xanax. OxyContin was the most commonly abused pharmaceutical drug in Florida, but restrictions placed upon OxyContin availability are believed to be responsible for the increase in methadone abuse. Diversion within Florida occurs through indiscriminate prescribing, prescription forgery and theft. Additional methods, which have been especially prevalent in OxyContin incidents, include doctor hopping, pharmacy robberies and prescription fraud (where extra copies of a prescription are made and taken to different pharmacies). Diversion via the Internet continues to emerge as a primary method of trafficking and is the basis of several investigations. Internet diversion occurs through fraudulent prescriptions.
Drug Trends New York
Drug Situation: New York City has long been home to numerous drug trafficking organizations. The city's large, diverse, multi-class population creates a demand that these organizations are more than willing to serve. New York City also acts as the source for organizations that smuggle drugs to other East Coast destinations and to Canada and Europe. Due to successful drug initiatives and enforcement operations performed in the New York metropolitan area, many drug traffickers are moving their illegal operations to the upstate region to earn greater profits, elude law enforcement, and avoid competition from rival drug groups.
Cocaine: Colombia-based distributors continue to supply New York's top cocaine rings, dominated by Dominican violators. These traffickers regularly smuggle in multi-hundred kilogram shipments of cocaine to New York and then distribute it in smaller amounts through many networks in the metropolitan area. Most of the cocaine entering New York is smuggled in by vehicles from large distribution centers in border areas (Texas, Arizona, California, and Florida). Mexican violators are becoming increasingly prominent in this large scale cocaine transportation, and are also becoming involved in local wholesale distribution. Cocaine is also a significant problem in Albany and western New York State. Most cocaine distributors in the Albany area have connections to sources in New York City, but some direct links have been found with Florida and Puerto Rico. Seizures of wholesale amounts in Buffalo are frequently made at the airport and train station and weigh from one-half to four kilograms each. Crack cocaine is readily available in economically depressed areas in all major New York cities, along with some suburban and semi-rural areas, and is occasionally a source of violence in upstate cities. Such violence usually occurs because newer dealers have challenged more established groups over territory.
Heroin: Heroin is readily available from Colombian, ethnic Chinese, and Dominican organizations operating in the New York metropolitan area. Most of the heroin available in New York is of South American origin and Colombia-based traffickers bring some of the purest heroin in the world to the streets of New York, utilizing the same distribution methods and money-laundering expertise they perfected in capturing the cocaine market. In some cases, the same organizations are distributing both cocaine and heroin. Much of the Colombian heroin is smuggled into New York by couriers and ingesters arriving at JFK Airport, on direct flights from Colombia, or after stopovers in Florida, Jamaica, Haiti, Panama, or the Dominican Republic. Colombian heroin trafficking organizations have developed increasingly sophisticated smuggling methods, including use of cargo shipments and chemically impregnating heroin into plastic, which is then molded into common shapes. The heroin is subsequently recovered using a chemical extraction process. The heroin trafficking and abuse problem is increasing in upstate New York. Dealers in upstate regions often buy heroin in New York City and then return to their home areas via auto, bus, or train. Most heroin sold upstate is first cut and packaged in New York City and then recut and repackaged locally. Currently, some of the high-purity products are finding their way directly to users who are often unaccustomed to the strength. Buffalo also acts as a port of entry for Southeast Asian heroin from Toronto en route to New York City and Detroit.
Methamphetamine: Overall, methamphetamine trafficking and abuse in New York State is a less serious problem when compared to heroin, cocaine, crack, and MDMA. However, methamphetamine availability may increase, especially upstate, as local labs become more common. Seizures of low yield, small methamphetamine labs are increasing in rural New York, especially in the vicinity of Albany and Syracuse. Mostly employing the red phosphorous method, these lab seizures have increased exponentially since 2000, from less than ten per year in the late 1990s through 2001, to 40 in 2002 and 16 through the first three months of CY 2003. Most of New York City's methamphetamine supply continues to be from the West Coast via couriers who travel there, pick up one-half pound to a kilogram of methamphetamine and then return to the New York area.
Club Drugs: MDMA (Ecstasy) is readily available throughout New York and remains the drug of choice at nightclubs, rave parties, and college campuses. New York has had exponential increases in the importation, trafficking, and abuse of MDMA. Belgium and the Netherlands are the main source locations, with significant transshipment through Canada. Currently, organized crime groups, many controlled by Israeli traffickers, dominate the importation and distribution of MDMA in New York. They differ somewhat from more traditionally structured organized criminal groups and exist as loose confederations rather than organizations with a rigid hierarchical structure. Within New York, wholesale quantity transactions typically occur in residences, and, at the retail level, the drug is sold to users at nightclubs or raves. Almost all MDMA pills are sold with logos stamped in, creating brands for users to seek out. Many of those brands are specifically designed to appeal to teenagers.
Marijuana: Most of the marijuana entering the New York City area, and some upstate regions, appears to be arriving via air freight or auto/truck transport from Florida or the southwestern United States. Significant amounts also arrive via commercial overnight package services. Upstate regions receive marijuana from the Southwestern United States, and there are continuous reports of local indoor grow operations. Canada is also a source for a significant quantity of marijuana entering New York State, primarily indoor grow marijuana.
Other Drugs: New York continues to experience high levels of importation, trafficking, and abuse of MDMA (Ecstasy). Belgium and the Netherlands remain the main locations for manufacturing and exporting MDMA. Currently, organized crime groups, many controlled by Israeli traffickers, dominate the importation and distribution of MDMA in New York. They differ somewhat from more traditionally structured organized criminal groups and exist as loose confederations rather than organizations with a rigid hierarchical structure. The traffickers importing and distributing MDMA are primarily younger than most violators associated with organized criminal groups, they are multi-lingual and extremely mobile, with frequent international travel. Within New York, wholesale quantity transactions typically occur in residences, and, at the retail level, the drug is sold to users at nightclubs or raves. Almost all MDMA pills are sold with logos stamped in, creating brands for users to seek out. Many of those brands are specifically designed to appeal to teenagers. Other dangerous drugs, while available, are less prominent problems in New York City.
Drug Trends Minnesota
Drug Situation:In Minnesota, Mexican traffickers control the transportation, distribution, and bulk sales of cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, and small amounts of black-tar heroin. Numerous Mexican groups and street gangs such as the Latin Kings are operating in the state. As a general rule, the upper echelon Mexican distributors in Minnesota transport the majority of their proceeds back to family members residing in Mexico. At the retail level, independent African-American traffickers, African-American street gangs, Native-American gangs, and independent white group purchase cocaine, black-tar heroin, and marijuana from Mexican traffickers. In outlying areas of the state, independent white groups and outlaw motorcycle gangs distribute methamphetamine in small quantities. Street gang activity in Minnesota has increased dramatically over the past few years. African-American gangs appear to be primarily involved in the distribution of crack cocaine.
Cocaine: The majority of cocaine found in Minnesota is purchased from sources of
supply in California, Chicago, and Detroit. Some traffickers obtain cocaine directly from sources of supply along the Southwest Border and transport the cocaine to Minnesota themselves. Mexican traffickers control the transportation, distribution, and bulk sales of cocaine. At the retail level, independent African-American traffickers, African-American street gangs (specifically the Gangster Disciples, the Vice Lords, and Crips), Hispanic street gangs (specifically the Latin Kings), Native-American groups, and independent white groups purchase cocaine from Mexican traffickers and distribute it throughout Minnesota. In the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, crack cocaine is controlled by independent African-American traffickers and African-American street gangs.
Heroin:Heroin distribution and use have not been significant problems in Minnesota, but recent reports indicate there has been an increase in heroin use, especially in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. At the wholesale level, sources of supply include Nigerian/West African traffickers operating from Chicago and New York, African-American street gangs with ties to Chicago, and Mexican traffickers operating from the Southwest Border and from Chicago. At the retail level, heroin is distributed primarily by Hispanic and African-American street gangs.
Methamphetamine: The meth threat in Minnesota is a two-pronged problem. First, large quantities of meth produced by Mexican organizations based in California are transported into and distributed throughout the state. Second, meth increasingly is being produced in small laboratories, capable of producing only a few ounces at a time. Mexican groups, who receive their product from the West Coast, control distribution of the drug. These traffickers typically send meth from California through the U.S. mail, via Federal Express, and by courier. Meth-related emergency room mentions in Minneapolis-St. Paul reported by Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) increased from 112 in 1999 to 153 in 2000, an increase of 36 percent.
Methamphetamine Labs Seized
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
13 9 34 100 119 131 164
Club Drugs:Club drugs, including MDMA (Ecstasy), Ketamine, GHB, GBL, Rohypnol, LSD, PCP, methamphetamine, nubain, and, to a lesser extent, psilocybin mushrooms, have been reported in Minnesota. Club drugs are most prevalent in Minneapolis' gay population, and to a lesser extent, among young people at raves and nightclubs in suburban areas. Prior to its placement in Schedule I in February 2000, Minnesota placed state controls on the possession of GHB. Ketamine ("Special K") use first appeared in Minnesota in 1997 among adolescents and young adults. Public awareness of the growing prevalence and dangers of club drug use has been heightened by several recent incidents: five deaths involving MDMA, the meth-related death of a teenager, several large law enforcement cases involving GBL, and a police-related incident involving a youth on LSD. You may or may not want to mention that even more so than with the young college kids.
Marijuana: Marijuana remains the most commonly used and readily available drug
in Minnesota according to public health officials. The importation of bulk marijuana shipments into the state of Minnesota is controlled by Mexican drug trafficking organizations. Hispanic street gangs are the major distributors of marijuana at the retail level. Marijuana is readily available from local cultivators in addition to the supplies emanating from the Southwest Border. In 2002, 5,427 cultivated plants were seized from 15 indoor grow operations, and 1,238 cultivated plants were eradicated from 16 outdoor plots. Last year over 3 million ditchweed plants were eradicated. According to the Drug Abuse Warning Network, the number of marijuana-related hospital emergency department mentions in Minneapolis increased 200 percent between 1994 and 2001. The DAWN marijuana emergency department mentions increased from 803 in 2000 to 1200 in 2001, an increase of nearly 50 percent in one year.
Other Drugs: The use of diverted controlled substances in Minnesota continues to be a problem. The most commonly diverted controlled substances from the licit market are nubain, dilaudid, ritalin, vicodin (hydrocodone), oxycontin, codeine combination products, the benzodiazepines, and the anorectic drugs phentermine and phendimetrazie. Nubain is a prescription narcotic that has recently emerged in the Minneapolis area. This narcotic is being used by body builders who mistakenly believe it acts as a steroid. Four deaths have occurred in the Minneapolis area as a result of nubain being taken with MDMA, and OxyContin being mixed with cocaine. According to local addicts, Klonopin is more readily available than in the past from illegal sources and prescriptions are easily obtained from some doctors. In rural Minnesota it has also appeared under its international, non-United States trade name, "Rivotril," which suggests its importation from foreign sources. Flunitrazepam, trade name "Rohypnol," is a long-acting benzodiapine that is typically combined with alcohol or other drugs to produce incapacitation and memory loss similar to an alcohol-induced blackout. Minnesota law enforcement agencies encountered only small amounts of the drug. Its use as a "date rape" drug is not widespread in Minnesota.
Drug Arrests
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
264 317 403 350 359 310
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