National Drug Intelligence Center   California Border Alliance Group Drug Market Analysis 2009   March 2009

Distribution

Mexican DTOs are the dominant wholesale distributors of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana throughout the CBAG region. They use the area as a regional- and national-level distribution center for these drugs, distributing to drug markets in the area and throughout the country, including Boston, Massachusetts; Denver, Colorado; Detroit, Michigan; Honolulu, Hawaii; Los Angeles, California; Portland, Oregon; Tampa, Florida; and Washington, D.C. Mexican DTOs typically store illicit drugs at stash sites throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties; they use residences, warehouses, storage facilities, and store fronts. At stash sites, drugs are generally repackaged for distribution throughout the CBAG region and for transportation to drug markets throughout the United States.

Mexican DTOs supply wholesale quantities of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine, primarily to Mexican criminal groups as well as prison gangs, street gangs, and outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs). These groups supply midlevel quantities of illicit drugs to retail distributors--predominantly smaller street gangs and independent dealers. African American, Asian, Caucasian, and Hispanic street gangs dominate retail-level distribution throughout the CBAG region. Approximately 100 street gangs operate in San Diego County, with an estimated total membership of approximately 8,000. Imperial County is home to approximately 52 gangs, with an estimated membership of approximately 1,200.

The distribution of CPDs, particularly steroids, is prevalent in the CBAG region. CPD abusers and distributors from the region often travel to Tijuana, Mexico, to purchase drugs from the large number of pharmacies that are located along the border area--law enforcement officials estimate that Tijuana has approximately 10 times the number of pharmacies needed to support its population. Abusers smuggle the drugs into the United States for personal use, while distributors smuggle the drugs for retail-level sales to market areas throughout the United States. Additionally, Caucasian criminal groups and individuals are distributing increasing amounts of CPDs, including controlled prescription narcotics, sedatives, and steroids that they are acquiring in the CBAG region through traditional diversion methods, such as copied or scanned prescriptions, forged prescriptions, theft, and unscrupulous physicians and pharmacists.

To Top      To Contents

Drug-Related Crime

Violent conflicts between criminal organizations operating along the U.S.-Mexico border--particularly confrontations between rival Mexican DTOs, Mexican DTOs and alien smuggling organizations (ASOs), and rival Mexican ASOs, as well as clashes between Mexican counterdrug forces and drug traffickers--have resulted in a surge of violence throughout northern Mexico since 2007. Some of this violence, in the form of assaults, kidnappings, home invasion robberies, and homicides, is affecting U.S. communities near the border in California, U.S. citizens who visit Mexico, and U.S. law enforcement personnel who patrol border crossings. For example, according to the San Diego Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), kidnapping incidents in San Diego increased 53 percent from 2007 to 2008. (See Table 5.) The actual number of kidnappings may be higher; many victims' families are unwilling to report the crime for fear that the victim will be killed, the kidnappers will retaliate against them, or law enforcement will discover the family's own drug trafficking activities. Typically, kidnapping victims are not randomly selected; kidnapping cells target victims who are (or appear to be) wealthy, and most victims have business or family ties to Mexico. Kidnappings are a lucrative way for DTOs and kidnapping cells to make money; in fact, ransom kidnappings are the primary source of income for the AFO. Violence directed at law enforcement officers, primarily U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents, is often intended to deter agents from seizing illicit drug shipments or is used as a diversion to smuggle drug shipments. Chula Vista and areas close to the border are already experiencing increasing numbers of drug-related homicides strikingly similar to those committed by Mexican DTOs in the Tijuana, Mexico area.

Table 5. FBI Kidnapping Cases in San Diego, 2002-2008

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Diego Division.

Illicit drug abusers in the region often engage in property crime to acquire money to purchase illicit drugs. The San Diego Police Department reports that abusers in its jurisdiction, particularly methamphetamine abusers, commonly commit identity theft, automobile theft, shoplifting, or prostitution to support their addictions. Additionally, methamphetamine abusers in the region often generate cash by stealing and subsequently cashing personal checks or by using stolen credit cards to purchase merchandise, which they sell for cash or trade for methamphetamine.

End of page.