Outlook

South American heroin will remain the primary drug threat to Connecticut. Treatment and mortality data indicate that heroin abuse is a serious problem, and there are no indications that abuse levels will decrease significantly in the near future. Because of their established connections to sources of supply in New York City, Dominican and Colombian criminal groups will remain the primary transporters and wholesale-level distributors of heroin in Connecticut. Dominican and Puerto Rican criminal groups will remain the primary retail-level distributors of heroin in the state.

Although recent statistics indicate that cocaine-related treatment admissions have decreased, law enforcement reporting suggests that cocaine, primarily crack cocaine, remains a significant threat to Connecticut. The drug remains readily available and frequently abused, and its distribution and abuse are more frequently associated with violent crime than any other illicit drug in the state. Dominican and Colombian criminal groups will continue to dominate the transportation and wholesale-level distribution of cocaine in Connecticut. Dominican criminal groups will remain the primary retail distributors of powdered cocaine in the state, while African American criminal groups and crews will remain the primary retail distributors of crack in the state.

Marijuana will remain the most readily available and widely abused illicit drug in Connecticut. Marijuana produced in Mexico will continue to be the most prevalent type available; however, the availability of high-quality Canada- and locally produced marijuana should increase.

MDMA will continue to be the most widely distributed and abused club drug in Connecticut. Diverted pharmaceuticals, particularly prescription opiates such as OxyContin, increasingly are available and abused and often are abused in place of heroin, thus presenting a growing threat to the state. Caucasian criminal groups will remain the principal transporters and dominant wholesale-level distributors of MDMA in the state, and local independent dealers will remain the primary retail-level distributors of other club drugs and diverted pharmaceuticals.

Methamphetamine likely will continue to pose a low drug threat to Connecticut. However, increases in the number of treatment admissions suggest that abuse and availability of the drug may increase, although there is little indication that methamphetamine production and distribution will change in the near future.

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