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National Drug Intelligence Center |
Traffickers, particularly Colombian DTOs, routinely use the South Florida HIDTA region as a national-level distribution center for powder cocaine and SA heroin destined for eastern drug markets, including markets in Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. A number of traffickers also use the region as a distribution center for marijuana and CPDs to many of these areas. Most midlevel and retail-level distributors in southern Florida and some areas of the southeast rely on Colombian DTOs as their primary source for cocaine and SA heroin. Law enforcement officials report that an increasing number of lower-level traffickers in the West Palm Beach area are acquiring supplies of some drugs, particularly commercial-grade marijuana and ice methamphetamine, from Mexican DTOs.
Various DTOs, criminal groups, street gangs, and local independent dealers distribute illicit drugs at the midlevel and retail level in the region. (See Table 3.) Their methods of operation change little from year to year. Retail-level distribution typically takes place at open-air drug markets; in clubs, apartment buildings, motels, and vehicles; on beaches; and at prearranged meeting sites such as parking lots. CPDs are obtained by abusers through "doctor-shopping," unscrupulous doctors, or pain management clinics; some of these drugs are sold to other abusers for profit. Such transactions may take place in person with local or out-of-state abusers or through the Internet for shipment by package delivery services.
Table 3. Retail-Level Drug Distribution in the South Florida HIDTA Region, 2008
| Retail Distributors | Drugs |
|---|---|
| African American | Powder and crack cocaine, heroin, MDMA, marijuana, and diverted CPDs |
| Caucasian | Powder cocaine, GHB, MDMA, marijuana, methamphetamine, and diverted CPDs |
| Cuban | Powder cocaine, SA heroin, and marijuana |
| Haitian | Powder cocaine, heroin, and marijuana |
| Jamaican | Powder and crack cocaine and marijuana |
| Other Hispanics | Powder cocaine, marijuana, and ice methamphetamine |
Source: South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.
Drug distributors facilitate drug sales in the South Florida HIDTA region using electronic communications, primarily cellular telephones and the Internet. Drug traffickers typically use disposable cellular telephones and those that are activated through prepaid calling cards. Most traffickers use such cell phones for a limited time to reduce the risk of having conversations monitored by law enforcement personnel. Additionally, data from a 2007 Florida Department of Law Enforcement gang survey reveal that street gang members frequently use Internet social networking sites such as MySpace.com, hi5.com, Niggaspace.com, Youtube.com and cpixel.com to recruit members, share information, and communicate by instant messaging. Street gangs also communicate using two-way radios, radio frequency scanners, and cellular telephones with push-to-talk capabilities. They also use text messaging capabilities on these telephones.
Drug-related violent and property crime are a common occurrence in the South Florida HIDTA region as distributors, particularly street gang members, protect their distribution territories and abusers seek money to sustain their addictions. According to NDTS 2009 data, 23 of the 27 law enforcement agency respondents in the South Florida HIDTA region identify cocaine, particularly crack, as the drug that most contributes to violent crime in their jurisdictions, and 19 identify cocaine as the drug that most contributes to property crime.
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