To
Contents
To Previous Page
To Next Page
To Publications
Page
To Home Page
U.S. Department of Justice
National Drug Intelligence Center
Northern California HIDTA Drug Market Analysis 2010
June 2010
Public treatment admissions in the Northern California HIDTA remain high despite preliminary numbers for 2009 showing decreases, the exception being the "other drug" category.h According to data from the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, methamphetamine was identified more often than any other drug as the primary substance of abuse from 2005 through 2009. Preliminary 2009 data indicate that 10,693 individuals in the HIDTA region were admitted to treatment centers for methamphetamine abuse, out of a state total of 52,519. (See Table 5.)
Table 5. Drug-Related Treatment Admissions to Publicly Funded Facilities in Northern California HIDTA Counties, by Drug Type, 2005-2009
| Drug Type | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Methamphetamine | 16,336 | 14,491 | 13,940 | 12,622 | 10,693 |
| Marijuana/hashish | 6,452 | 5,758 | 6,069 | 6,442 | 5,695 |
| Cocaine/crack | 8,404 | 7,755 | 7,842 | 8,160 | 6,943 |
| Heroin | 11,267 | 9,173 | 7,992 | 7,802 | 6,938 |
| Other drugs, excluding alcohol | 2,184 | 1,632 | 1,939 | 2,219 | 2,460 |
Source: California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs.
Heroin abuse is prevalent and increasing in some areas of the region, particularly among teenagers and young adults, some of whom are switching to heroin from prescription opioids. Heroin is widely abused in Alameda and San Francisco Counties, which accounted for 64 percent of heroin-related treatment admissions in the HIDTA region during 2009. According to the DEA Oakland Resident Office, a Bay Area Narcotic Treatment Program (NTP) observed an increase in pain management client referrals in 2009. The majority of those clients were being treated for either heroin or opioid-based CPD addictions. The most sought-after and abused CPDs are hydrocodones, benzodiazepines, and oxycodones. Law enforcement officials in the region report that some teenagers and young adults are switching to black tar heroin when OxyContin is unavailable or too expensive, and they expect heroin abuse in this age group to increase over the next 5 years. During the 2009 school year, the Bay Area NTP also noted an increase in the number of 18- to 25-year-olds admitted to the facility solely for heroin detoxification. The heroin abuse rates in this age group may be underreported because these clients paid privately for services and chose not to participate in any sampling programs.
Mexican and Asian traffickers are the primary drug money laundering organizations operating in the Northern California HIDTA region. These traffickers employ a variety of methods to move and launder millions of dollars in illicit drug proceeds. Mexican traffickers transport bulk cash from the region to Mexico primarily in private and commercial vehicles. Asian traffickers smuggle bulk currency to Canada in private and commercial vehicles or to Asian countries using aircraft, maritime conveyances, and package delivery services. Mexican and Asian traffickers use money services businesses--commonly located in their own ethnic communities--to move illicit drug proceeds from the region to other domestic or international locations. Asian traffickers also launder money through informal value transfer systems (IVTSs) such as hawala, hundi, and fei ch'ien. Many of these IVTSs are culturally based and, because of their clandestine nature, are difficult to track. Illicit money transfers made through these underground systems are easily concealed in the high volume of legal transfers made within the systems. Traffickers also purchase stored value cards and real estate, and they own and operate front businesses, such as restaurants, auto dealerships, and repair businesses.
h. Preliminary data run on April 1, 2010.
End of page.