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National Drug Intelligence Center |
Figure 14. West Central OCDETF Region
Methamphetamine distribution and abuse pose the greatest overall drug threat to the West Central Region. Methamphetamine production, trafficking, and abuse strain local law enforcement, public health, and social services programs throughout the West Central Region, particularly in rural areas. Approximately 60 percent of state and local law enforcement agencies in the West Central region identify methamphetamine as the greatest drug threat in their jurisdictions, according to the NDTS 2008 (see Table B8 in Appendix B); additionally, 62 percent of the region's state and local law enforcement agencies identify methamphetamine as the drug that contributes most to violent crime in their jurisdictions, while almost 64 percent identify it as the drug that contributes most to property crime. Local methamphetamine production in the region declined significantly after peaking in 2003; however, NSS data for 2008 and law enforcement reporting from the area suggest a resurgence in small-scale production activity in many areas of the region.
Mexican DTOs are the principal suppliers of methamphetamine throughout the region. Mexican traffickers supply most of the methamphetamine available in the West Central Region. They transport large quantities of the drug to the area from Mexico (Michoacán, Sinaloa) and southwestern markets including Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; and El Paso, Texas, and lesser amounts from Seattle and Yakima, Washington. Mexican and Caucasian criminal groups, Caucasian and Native American local independent dealers and street gangs, and OMGs distribute midlevel and/or retail-level quantities of methamphetamine. Moreover, Hispanic independent dealers and street gangs (such as Sureños, 18th Street, Mara Salvatrucha (MS 13), and Latin Kings) distribute methamphetamine at the retail level in metropolitan areas, including Colorado Springs, Denver, Kansas City, Omaha, St. Louis, and Salt Lake City. Most local independent dealers now distribute methamphetamine obtained from Mexican DTOs operating in their area or nearby market areas. For example, local independents operating in Billings and Cheyenne often travel to Denver and Salt Lake City to purchase the drug from Mexican DTOs and from street gangs' sources of supply.
Methamphetamine production in the West Central Region has decreased substantially since 2003; however, clandestine production poses a significant threat--regional NSS data and law enforcement reporting for 2008 suggest a resurgence in small-scale local production. Methamphetamine production has decreased substantially in many areas of the region after peaking in 2003; however, production continues, particularly in rural areas, and seizure data indicate that regional laboratory seizure totals are on pace to meet or exceed year-end 2007 totals. The number of reported methamphetamine laboratory seizures in the West Central Region declined approximately 71 percent from 2004 (3,055) through 2007 (882); 598 laboratories were seized from January through mid-October 2008 (see Figure B11 in Appendix B). Missouri and, to a lesser but significant extent, Arkansas and Iowa typically account for most of the laboratories seized in the region each year. Law enforcement officials in these areas, as well as many other parts of the region, report that small-scale methamphetamine producers are finding alternative sources for chemical supplies and are increasingly using the one-pot method of production. Methamphetamine production in the region represents a significant threat to public safety and the environment; children, law enforcement personnel, emergency responders, and those who live at or near methamphetamine production sites have been seriously injured or killed as a result of methamphetamine production. In fact, NSS data indicate that more than 2,500 children were injured at or removed from methamphetamine laboratory sites from 2003 through September 2008. Furthermore, 61 law enforcement officers were injured during that period, and 1 died as a result of exposure at laboratory sites in the region.
Local methamphetamine producers obtain pseudoephedrine through smurfing. Local methamphetamine producers are recruiting smurfs to counter precursor chemical control legislation by purchasing pseudoephedrine in smaller quantities at multiple locations. Despite stringent national and state precursor chemical control laws, methamphetamine production continues in the West Central Region because producers are still able to obtain sufficient quantities of pseudoephedrine--albeit through greater effort. The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 (Title VII of the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005, P.L. 109-177) was enacted on March 9, 2006. This act requires all states to have regulated sellers maintain logbooks and set time-sensitive quantity limits on products containing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine. In addition, some state precursor control laws have further restricted ephedrine/pseudoephedrine sales. However, most West Central Region states do not have a centralized electronic database of sales logs, which greatly hampers law enforcement investigative efforts: many law enforcement agencies must visit each pharmacy and manually gather logbook information--a time-consuming practice.
Methamphetamine availability is generally stable throughout the region; however, several markets in South Dakota and Colorado are experiencing shortages. Most law enforcement officials report a sustained and steady supply of methamphetamine in their areas; however, law enforcement officials in some cities in South Dakota (Aberdeen, Huron, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, and Yankton) have reported a decline in availability and distribution through the first two quarters of 2008. In addition, some law enforcement officials in Colorado (Colorado Springs, the Denver Metropolitan area, Grand Junction, and Fort Collins) reported a decrease in methamphetamine availability and purity during the same period.
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