National Drug Intelligence Center   North Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis 2009   March 2009

Drug Threat Overview

Cocaine trafficking and abuse pose the greatest threat to the North Florida HIDTA region as evidenced by the high levels of violence associated with cocaine (particularly crack) distribution and the high number of cocaine-related treatment admissions to publicly funded facilities. According to data from the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) National Drug Threat Survey (NDTS) 2009, 19 of the 28 law enforcement agency respondents in the North Florida HIDTA region report that cocaine is the greatest drug threat in their jurisdictions.3 Cocaine usually is readily available throughout the region because of its proximity to reliable international sources of supply; however, cocaine seizures in drug transit areas, such as the Southwest Border and the Caribbean, and reported cocaine shortages in drug distribution areas such as Atlanta during 2008 resulted in sporadic cocaine shortages in the North Florida HIDTA region. Cocaine prices in the North Florida HIDTA region reflected the decreased availability at the midlevel and retail level during this period; prices in Jacksonville were slightly higher in the last 6 months of 2008 ($750 to $1,200 per ounce of powder cocaine and $20 to $75 per gram of crack cocaine) than in the first 6 months of 2008 ($700 to $1,000 per ounce of powder cocaine and $20 to $40 per gram of crack cocaine). As a result of the sporadic cocaine shortages and slightly elevated prices, some distributors in the North Florida HIDTA region have begun to travel to other areas of Florida to obtain cocaine for retail sales in Jacksonville. Distributors are also adapting to the sporadic shortages by cutting cocaine to stretch supplies, resulting in a slight decrease in cocaine purity at the retail level. Moreover, reporting from North Florida HIDTA Initiatives4 indicates that more than 129 kilograms of powder cocaine and 4 kilograms of crack cocaine were seized in 2008. (See Table 1.)

Source: North Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.
*Seizures of hashish, CPDs, and methamphetamine precursors are not included in this table.

The diversion, distribution, and abuse of CPDs5 pose a significant threat to the region. CPDs are becoming widely abused in the region, particularly among Caucasian adolescents and adults; law enforcement and public health officials in the region report that the average age of CPD abusers is decreasing. The most widely available and commonly abused CPDs are methadone, morphine, OxyContin (oxycodone), Valium (diazepam), Vicodin (hydrocodone), and Xanax (alprazolam).6 CPD abusers are enticed in part by the ease with which they can obtain the drugs over the Internet and from retail-level distributors. The North Florida HIDTA region is also a source area for CPDs available throughout a large portion of the eastern United States; abusers travel to the region to illicitly purchase CPDs from a majority of Caucasian distributors or use the Internet to order the drugs from rogue Internet pharmacies7 based in Florida.8 In addition, North Florida HIDTA intelligence indicates that CPD traffickers are obtaining CPDs from pain clinics in Florida that are not judicious in checking and verifying injuries; these traffickers are then transporting CPDs from these clinics to areas outside the region. Federal legislation designed to reduce the number of rogue Internet pharmacies selling CPDs was enacted in 2008. (See text box.)

The production and distribution of marijuana, particularly marijuana produced from high-potency, indoor-grown cannabis, pose a serious threat to the North Florida HIDTA region. Marijuana is widely available throughout the HIDTA region and is abused by members of all racial/ethnic and social groups. The demand for high-potency marijuana is increasing in the region. Most indoor cultivation sites are established and operated primarily by Cuban and Caucasian DTOs.

Methamphetamine, other dangerous drugs (ODDs)--principally MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also known as ecstasy)--and heroin pose comparatively lower threats to the North Florida HIDTA region. Methamphetamine availability and abuse are at relatively low levels in the region; however, some law enforcement officials report that the demand for high-purity ice methamphetamine is rising in the region. Nonetheless, the number of methamphetamine laboratories seized in the region decreased from 2007 through 2008. The availability and abuse of ODDs, principally MDMA, are limited in the North Florida HIDTA region. Heroin availability and abuse are most likely stable at low levels. Nonetheless, seizure data indicate that 57.9 kilograms of heroin were seized in the HIDTA region in 2008, compared with 1.7 kilograms in 2007; however, this increase was the result of a single seizure of 57 kilograms of heroin and appears to have been an isolated incident.

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Drug Trafficking Organizations

Mexican DTOs, Hispanic DTOs and criminal groups, and criminal groups of various races/ethnicities as well as street gangs and outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs) transport and distribute a variety of drugs throughout the region. In 2008, law enforcement officials affiliated with North Florida HIDTA initiatives targeted 63 DTOs and four money laundering organizations operating within the region; 32 of these organizations were dismantled, and 24 others were disrupted. Most of the DTOs (45 of the 63) operated in the HIDTA region, 11 operated internationally, and 7 operated in multiple states. The majority of the organizations identified through the HIDTA initiatives were African American, Caucasian, Hispanic, and Mexican; in addition, Dominican, Jamaican, and Haitian DTOs were identified.

Mexican DTOs and Hispanic criminal groups routinely supply wholesale quantities of cocaine, heroin, Mexican marijuana, and some methamphetamine in the North Florida HIDTA region. They have gained control over much of the wholesale drug distribution in the North Florida HIDTA region and in the entire state of Florida as a result of their access to sources of supply and their well-established drug smuggling routes from Mexico to the United States and from the Southwest Border area to Atlanta and locations throughout Florida. Consequently, these organizations are able to efficiently transport and distribute large quantities of illicit drugs into and through the North Florida HIDTA region. The control exercised by these tightly coordinated and compartmentalized organizations and groups is facilitated by the growing Hispanic population in northern Florida. Mexican traffickers easily assimilate into these Hispanic communities, where they can conceal their drug trafficking activities. Moreover, Mexican traffickers rely upon strong familial ties in Mexico and northern Florida to further facilitate their transportation and distribution of drugs in the region. Members of Mexican DTOs and Hispanic criminal groups have established residency in upscale suburban and rural communities, where they store and distribute illicit drugs and consolidate drug proceeds.

Colombian and Dominican DTOs transport wholesale quantities of powder cocaine to the North Florida HIDTA region, particularly Jacksonville, from the South Florida HIDTA region, particularly Miami, for distribution in local drug markets. Dominican DTOs also transport cocaine directly from the Dominican Republic. These traffickers typically transport cocaine using vehicles or package delivery services from South Florida to and through the North Florida HIDTA region to various destinations in northeastern states.

Cuban DTOs establish and operate numerous high-potency, indoor cannabis grow sites in the North Florida HIDTA region and have expanded such operations throughout the southeastern United States. These organizations, frequently based in Miami, purchase real estate in northern Florida for the sole purpose of indoor cannabis cultivation. Cuban DTOs, which have rapidly expanded their operations throughout Florida, often use illegal immigrants from Cuba and other Caribbean islands to work at the grow sites.

Other DTOs and criminal groups of various races/ethnicities, including African American, Caucasian, Haitian, and Jamaican, distribute drugs at the midlevel and retail level in the North Florida HIDTA region. Most of these traffickers obtain powder cocaine, methamphetamine, and Mexican marijuana from Mexican DTOs. African American criminal groups distribute powder and crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, MDMA, and CPDs at the retail level. Caucasian criminal groups distribute powder cocaine, CPDs, heroin, marijuana, MDMA, methamphetamine, and steroids at the midlevel and retail level. Jamaican DTOs distribute powder cocaine and marijuana; these traffickers have established ties with Mexican DTOs located in northern Florida and the Southwest Border area and obtain wholesale quantities of cocaine and Mexican marijuana from these DTOs for distribution in the North Florida HIDTA region. Jamaican DTOs also transport and distribute wholesale quantities of powder cocaine and marijuana obtained from suppliers in southern Florida and the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) HIDTA region.

Street gangs, both locally based and nationally affiliated, distribute drugs at the retail level in many areas of the North Florida HIDTA region. The level of drug distribution by street gangs in the region is generally low to moderate; however, law enforcement officials in Clay County and Flagler County report that the level of drug distribution by street gangs in their jurisdictions is high. Street gang members typically distribute significant amounts of powder and crack cocaine, marijuana, and CPDs; they distribute smaller amounts of heroin, methamphetamine, and MDMA. African American street gangs are the primary retail distributors in urban areas of the region, and Hispanic street gangs are the primary retail distributors in suburban areas. Most street gangs in the area are violent, operate in a defined area or turf, and are homogeneous, typically reflecting the racial/ethnic population of the areas in which they operate. Most gang-related violence is the result of gang rivalries or disputes over drug territories; however, some gang violence occurs among members of the same gang, prompted by jealousy or acts of theft. Violent encounters also occur between street gangs and other DTOs. Moreover, some street gangs also trade illicit drugs for firearms, elevating the threat of violence in the region.

Local street gangs such as 103rd Street Gang, 45th Street Boys, and Eastside Boys distribute illicit drugs in the North Florida HIDTA region; these gangs are the principal retail distributors of powder and crack cocaine, marijuana, and other drugs in the region. Most street gangs are composed of members with similar racial/ethnic backgrounds, and most are established and based upon street or neighborhood affiliations, especially in northwestern Jacksonville. Some gangs, however, have memberships that consist of African American and Hispanic individuals. Local street gangs commonly adopt multiple facets of the gang culture from national-level street gangs, often from information on the Internet, but typically do not have ties to those national-level gangs. Many local street gangs in the region are formed for a collective pursuit of profits derived from illicit drug distribution.

Nationally affiliated street gangs such as Black Disciples, Bloods, Crips, and Latin Kings are expanding drug distribution activities, particularly those involving crack cocaine and marijuana, at the retail level in the region. The Flagler County Sheriff's Office reports that in addition to distributing illicit drugs, these nationally affiliated street gangs are attempting to incorporate the local street gangs to increase their membership and decrease or eliminate competition within local drug markets. Moreover, law enforcement officials in Gainesville and Jacksonville report a limited but growing presence of Mara Salvatrucha (MS 13) street gang members in their jurisdictions.

OMGs such as Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC), Outlaws, and various support clubs distribute illicit drugs in the North Florida HIDTA region to a limited extent. OMGs distribute small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, powder methamphetamine, heroin, MDMA, CPDs, and ODDs in the region. OMGs transport these drugs into the region from sources throughout the United States as well as from Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico.

Footnotes

3. National Drug Threat Survey (NDTS) data for 2009 cited in this report are as of February 12, 2009. NDTS data cited are raw, unweighted responses from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies solicited through either the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) or the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) HIDTA program. Data cited may include responses from agencies that are part of the NDTS 2009 national sample and/or agencies that are part of HIDTA solicitation lists.
4. North Florida HIDTA funds are allocated to 10 initiatives (program areas): Combined Alachua Drug Enforcement Team, Gateway Initiative, Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team, Cash and Asset Seizure Team, Prescription Drug Squad, Maritime and Land Investigation and Interdiction Initiative, North Florida HIDTA Task Force, Tri-County Task Force, Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team, and Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force.
5. Not all prescription drugs are controlled prescription drugs (CPDs) under the Controlled Substances Act. However, many prescription drugs are listed in Schedules I through V of the Controlled Substances Act because of their high potential for abuse or addiction. Schedule I through V prescription drugs are primarily narcotic pain relievers and central nervous system depressants and stimulants. A complete list of CPDs, by schedule, is available on the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Office of Diversion Control web site http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/schedules.htm.
6. Schedule II drugs include several prescription drugs, such as Duragesic (fentanyl), methadone, morphine, OxyContin (oxycodone), and Percocet (oxycodone in combination with acetaminophen). Schedule III drugs include several prescription drugs, such as Vicodin (hydrocodone in combination with acetaminophen). Schedule IV drugs include several prescription drugs, such as Ambien (zolpidem), Ativan (lorazepam), Darvon (propoxyphene), Valium (diazepam), and Xanax (alprazolam).
7. Rogue Internet pharmacies are unlicensed, fraudulent, and disreputable businesses that sell CPDs illegally.
8. The full extent of prescription drug sales from Florida-based Internet pharmacies is an intelligence gap.

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