Press Release - December 27, 2007

National Drug Intelligence Center Releases 2008 National Methamphetamine Threat Assessment

The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), a component of the Department of Justice and the nation's principal center for strategic drug intelligence, has released the 2008 National Methamphetamine Threat Assessment. This strategic assessment presents an analysis of key trends and developments regarding methamphetamine production, transportation, distribution, and abuse in the United States. The assessment also offers an in-depth strategic predictive analysis of future trends.

Despite progress in reducing domestic methamphetamine production, methamphetamine trafficking, and abuse remain a significant threat in the United States. Methamphetamine produced in Mexico continues to dominate the U. S. drug market. Preliminary 2007 methamphetamine seizure data, compared with data in 2006, indicate the possibility of a decrease in methamphetamine production in Mexico. Some drug markets in the western United States report sporadic and temporary shortages of methamphetamine, while markets in other regions report stable or increasing availability. Mexican methamphetamine distribution networks are expanding in many U. S. drug markets, supplanting local distributors and methamphetamine-related crime, such as identity theft is increasing. Canadian methamphetamine production has increased with some of this production intended for distribution in the United States.

In addition to the national-level strategic assessment, the report includes overviews of the methamphetamine situation in each of nine Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) regions covering the country. OCDETF is a federal drug enforcement program that focuses attention and resources on the disruption and dismantling of major drug trafficking organizations. OCDETF provides a framework for federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to work together to target well-established and complex organizations that direct, finance, or  engage in illegal narcotics trafficking and related crimes.

In preparing the 2008 National Methamphetamine Threat Assessment, NDIC partnered with federal and state agencies in the collection of data and information. A copy of the 2008 National Methamphetamine Threat Assessment can be found at: http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs26/26594/index.htm.

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