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National Drug Intelligence Center |
Figure 8. Mid-Atlantic OCDETF Region
Methamphetamine availability is limited, and abuse of the drug is sporadic in the Mid-Atlantic Region. NDTS 2008 data reveal that more than 62 percent of state and local law enforcement agencies in the Mid-Atlantic Region report that powder methamphetamine availability in their areas is low; 64 percent report that ice methamphetamine availability is low. However, anecdotal law enforcement reporting indicates that methamphetamine is readily available in West Virginia, the Pocono Mountains area of Pennsylvania, southwestern Virginia, and the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia. Law enforcement agencies in these areas report increasing distribution of the drug by Mexican DTOs, which is contributing to rising rates of methamphetamine abuse in these locations. Despite relatively low methamphetamine availability, TEDS data reveal that the number of amphetamine-related treatment admissions (including those for methamphetamine) to publicly funded facilities in the region increased significantly from 2002 (792) through 2006 (1,138), the latest year for which such data are available (see Table B9 in Appendix B).
Methamphetamine production in the Mid-Atlantic Region appears to be stabilizing at low levels after decreasing steadily since 2004. According to NDTS 2008 data, more than 55 percent of state and local law enforcement agencies in the Mid-Atlantic Region characterize the level of methamphetamine production in their areas as low; methamphetamine laboratories in the region are typically small-scale and are operated by methamphetamine abusers who produce gram quantities of the drug for personal use or to sell to close associates. On the other hand, many methamphetamine laboratories in the Philadelphia area are operated by members of OMGs, particularly Pagan's and Warlocks, who produce retail quantities of the drug for distribution in the local area. According to NSS data, the number of methamphetamine laboratories seized by law enforcement officials in the region decreased 76 percent from 2004 (232 laboratories) to 2007 (55 laboratories). However, 2008 laboratory seizures in the region reached 42 by mid-October and will quite likely meet or slightly exceed 2007 totals by the end of 2008 (see Figure B5 in Appendix B). Law enforcement reporting indicates that methamphetamine producers in the region are most active in the northeastern, northwestern, and Pocono regions of Pennsylvania; the southwestern region and the Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia; and West Virginia.
Mexican DTOs are the principal suppliers of methamphetamine to the region. Mexican DTOs typically smuggle methamphetamine to the region from Mexico, usually through transshipment locations in California, Nevada, Georgia, and North Carolina. They generally use private or rental vehicles equipped with hidden compartments and, to a lesser extent, U.S. mail and package delivery services to transport the drug. Mexican DTOs primarily supply Hispanic street gangs, Caucasian and Hispanic criminal groups and independent dealers, and OMGs with methamphetamine for retail distribution in the region. OMGs in some rural locations distribute methamphetamine that they receive from other OMGs outside the region.
Figure 9. New England OCDETF Region
The threat posed to the New England region by methamphetamine trafficking and abuse is low. The trafficking and abuse of methamphetamine in New England remain limited compared with other regions of the United States. Less than 1 percent of state and local law enforcement agencies in the region identify powder methamphetamine as the greatest drug threat to their areas, according to the NDTS 2008 (see Table B8 in Appendix B). TEDS data indicate that the number of amphetamine related (including methamphetamine-related) admissions to publicly funded treatment facilities in the New England Region states represents less than 1 percent of all treatment admissions in the region each year.
Methamphetamine production in the New England Region is limited but appears to be stabilizing after decreasing since 2005. According to NDTS 2008 data, 47.7 percent of state and local law enforcement agencies in the New England Region characterize the level of methamphetamine production in their areas as low to moderate, down from 51.2 percent in 2007. Methamphetamine laboratories in the region are typically small-scale and are operated by methamphetamine abusers who produce gram quantities of the drug for personal use or to sell to close associates. According to NSS data, the number of methamphetamine laboratories seized by law enforcement officials in the region decreased from 17 in 2005 to 3 in 2007; however, 2008 laboratory seizures reached 3 by the end of October and will quite likely exceed 2007 totals by the end of the year (see Figure B6 in Appendix B). Law enforcement reporting indicates that methamphetamine producers in the region are most active in Connecticut, Maine, and New Hampshire. Laboratory operators typically obtain the precursor chemicals and equipment necessary to manufacture methamphetamine through local purchases and the Internet. Currently, only Maine and Vermont have point-of-sale restrictions that limit access to ephedrine/pseudoephedrine products--the primary precursor chemicals used in methamphetamine production.
Some methamphetamine available in the New England Region is produced by Canada-based Asian DTOs, primarily Chinese and Vietnamese traffickers. Law enforcement reporting reveals that Canada-based Asian DTOs transport methamphetamine that they manufacture in Canada to New England for distribution--including distribution to methamphetamine tablet distribution cells in their area that are supplied by sources in Canada. In doing so, they often use established Canadian marijuana and synthetic drug transportation networks. In July 2008 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested members of a DTO that had been operating from New Brunswick and Quebec; the organization had been smuggling marijuana and methamphetamine from Canada to the United States, where it was exchanged for cocaine. The cocaine was then transported to Canada. The smuggling activities of the DTO's distribution network extended as far south as West Palm Beach, Florida.
Figure 10. New York/New Jersey OCDETF Region
The threat posed to the New York/New Jersey Region by methamphetamine is relatively low, although the methamphetamine abuser population is expanding, particularly in New Jersey. According to the NDTS 2008, less than 10 percent of state and local law enforcement agencies in the region indicate that powder methamphetamine availability in their jurisdictions is moderate to high--significantly lower than the nationwide rate of 44.3 percent. The number reporting moderate to high availability of ice methamphetamine is even lower at 6.5 percent. However, recent indicators suggest that methamphetamine abuse in some parts of New Jersey may be increasing, particularly among individuals outside established user populations. Abuse of the drug, once concentrated among patrons of some nightclubs in New York City, is now spreading to a wider cross-section of the population, including younger and more affluent abusers. For instance, law enforcement officials in southern New Jersey, particularly the Atlantic City area, report an increase in methamphetamine availability and abuse. TEDS data indicate that the number of amphetamine-related (including methamphetamine related) admissions to publicly funded treatment facilities in the New York/New Jersey Region increased 15 percent overall from 2002 (685) to 2006 (787) (see Table B9 in Appendix B); the number of admissions in New Jersey increased 9 percent from 172 in 2005 to 188 in 2006, the latest year for which such data are available. Moreover, according to NSS data, the amount of methamphetamine seized in New Jersey increased significantly from 11.24 kilograms in 2006 to 110.86 kilograms in 2007. NSS data further indicate that law enforcement authorities in New Jersey seized 43.86 kilograms of methamphetamine from January through October 2008.
Methamphetamine production is low in the region. Most methamphetamine production activity in the region is concentrated in rural New York. According to NSS data, law enforcement officers in the region seized 63 percent fewer methamphetamine laboratories in 2007 (13) than in 2006 (35) and seized 10 laboratories from January through October 2008 (see Figure B7 in Appendix B). The seized laboratories were generally small, capable of producing only personal use quantities. Laboratory operators active in the region typically acquire the chemicals necessary for methamphetamine production through diversion from chemical companies. Some laboratory operators also acquire chemicals through retail diversion--point-of-sale restrictions in New Jersey limit the quantity of precursor chemical products that may be purchased in a single transaction at retail locations; however, no such legislation exists in New York.
Mexican DTOs are the primary wholesale methamphetamine distributors in the New York/New Jersey Region. Mexican DTOs are increasingly transporting multipound quantities of Mexican methamphetamine to parts of the region, particularly New Jersey, using established transportation networks; they also serve as the principal wholesale methamphetamine distributors in the region. Most of the methamphetamine distributed in the region by Mexican DTOs originates in laboratories in Mexico and is transshipped from locations in Southwest Border states, California and, increasingly Atlanta, Georgia. Mexican traffickers typically transport the drug overland in private and commercial vehicles that are often equipped with hidden compartments. They also use mail and package delivery services to transport the drug. Mexican DTOs frequently supply methamphetamine to various criminal groups and gangs for retail-level distribution in the region.
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