Heroin

Heroin, most of which is produced in South America, is the primary drug threat to Vermont because it is increasingly available, and the level of abuse is high and increasing rapidly. The Burlington Police Department cites heroin as the primary drug threat to Burlington, Vermont's largest city. The Vermont Drug Task Force, with jurisdiction throughout the state, reports that availability and abuse of heroin are increasing in the cities of Brattleboro, Burlington, Montpelier, Newport, Rutland, and St. Johnsbury. The annual number of treatment admissions for heroin abuse increased 230 percent from FY1996 to FY2000, more dramatically than for any other drug. The annual number of heroin overdose deaths more than tripled from 1998 through 2000. Additionally, from 1999 to 2000 the number of state and local heroin-related investigations increased 372 percent, and the number of individuals arrested for either possession or sale/delivery of heroin increased 147 percent. Wholesale distribution of heroin in Vermont is extremely limited. Local independent Caucasian dealers are the primary retail distributors of heroin in the state. These dealers commonly travel in private automobiles to purchase heroin, primarily from Dominican criminal groups in Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, and Springfield, Massachusetts; Hartford, Connecticut; and New York, New York.

Abuse

The number of heroin abusers in Vermont is increasing, with a dramatic increase in the number of younger abusers. This new abuser population is attracted to the ready availability of high-purity heroin, primarily produced in South America. Typically, these new abusers are young adults who snort or, to a much lesser extent, smoke the drug. Snorting and smoking are not the most efficient methods of administration, and as heroin addiction develops, the abuser typically switches to injecting the drug. Injection carries the risk of contracting and spreading acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and hepatitis through needle sharing.

Treatment and survey data indicate that heroin abuse, particularly among the younger population, is increasing more dramatically than abuse of any other drug in Vermont. The annual number of treatment admissions for heroin as the primary substance of abuse increased 230 percent from 113 in FY1996 to 373 in FY2000, according to the Vermont Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs. (See Table 5 in Overview section.) Additionally, the number of treatment admissions aged 18 to 24 admitted for heroin abuse increased 464 percent from 22 in FY1997 to 124 in FY2000. The number of heroin overdose deaths in Vermont increased from 4 in 1998 to 10 in 1999 and 14 were reported through the first 10 months of 2000. According to the 2001 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 3 percent of eighth graders and 3 percent of high school seniors surveyed in Vermont reported having abused heroin at least once in their lifetime. When this survey was administered in 1997, heroin abuse was so rare in Vermont that its abuse by students was not specifically addressed.

Federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities report that heroin abuse is increasing in the state. According to the Burlington Police Department, heroin is the primary drug threat to Burlington because abuse, already at high levels, is increasing rapidly, and the average age of heroin abusers is decreasing. The Vermont Drug Task Force reports heroin abuse is increasing in Brattleboro, Burlington, Montpelier, Newport, Rutland, and St. Johnsbury. The DEA Burlington Resident Office reports an increasing demand for heroin in the state and a growing number of younger heroin abusers who have become addicted after using the drug recreationally.

To Top      To Contents

Availability

The availability of heroin, primarily produced in South America, is increasing in Vermont. State law enforcement reports indicate that the availability of heroin is increasing throughout Vermont, particularly in the cities of Brattleboro, Burlington, Montpelier, Newport, Rutland, and St. Johnsbury.

The DEA Burlington Resident Office notes that in 2001 the retail purity of heroin in Vermont ranges from 55 to 60 percent and prices are relatively stable. Heroin prices are generally lower in the more populated areas because of a larger customer base and greater competition between distributors. The Vermont Drug Task Force reports that the price of a glassine bag (user dose) of heroin in Vermont ranges from $20 to $45 in 2001. DEA reports that a glassine bag of heroin sells for $20 in Burlington. However, a similar bag sells for $40 in Bennington, $30 in Newport, and $20 to $30 in Brattleboro, according to local police reports.

The number of heroin-related investigations and arrests also indicates a significant increase in the availability of heroin. The number of state and local heroin investigations recorded each year increased 372 percent from 32 in 1999 to 151 in 2000, according to the State of Vermont Edward Byrne Grant Program FY2000 Annual Report. The number of individuals arrested by state and local law enforcement for either possession or sale/delivery of heroin increased 147 percent from 57 in 1999 to 141 in 2000. In June 2001 the director of the Vermont Center for Justice Research reported that Vermont law enforcement officers arrested less than 10 youths per year for possession of heroin until 2000 when law enforcement made 86 such arrests.

Anecdotal information indicates that heroin is frequently available in many areas in Vermont. Local law enforcement officials arrested a number of heroin distributors in a series of raids in Bennington, Plainfield, and Rutland in September 2000, seizing 30 glassine bags of heroin in Bennington, over 70 bags in Plainfield, and more than 1,000 bags in Rutland. Seven of the 12 arrestees in Rutland and the 2 in Bennington were under 22 years of age. One arrestee in the Rutland raid reported that he had transported 20,000 glassine bags of heroin to Vermont during the 7-month period preceding the raid. The individual reportedly had purchased the heroin from a Dominican criminal group in New York City. In September 2001 Barre police officers arrested eight individuals for selling heroin and seized heroin with an estimated value of $10,000 and $1,600 in cash.

Violence

The distribution and abuse of heroin are not commonly associated with violent crime in Vermont. Federal and state law enforcement officials report that violent crime is not typically associated with heroin distribution in the state. Heroin abusers generally do not commit violent crimes while under the influence of the drug. However, some heroin abusers commit burglaries and robberies to pay for drugs. Rutland police reported a significant increase in 2000 in the number of heroin abusers attempting to steal money to support their addictions. Police in Montpelier arrested two men suspected of committing burglaries of downtown businesses. Both men confessed to the burglaries and admitted to being addicted to heroin. St. Johnsbury police reported that a heroin abuser committed a series of armed robberies in May and June 2001 to support an addiction.

To Top      To Contents

Production

There are no reported incidents of opium poppy cultivation or heroin production in Vermont. Heroin is produced in four source regions: Southwest Asia, Southeast Asia, South America, and Mexico. South America, primarily Colombia, is a significant source of heroin smuggled into the United States and is the source of most of the heroin available in Vermont.

  
Transportation

Local heroin distributors usually travel from Vermont to Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, and Springfield, Massachusetts; Hartford, Connecticut; and New York, New York, to purchase heroin. Heroin is commonly transported in private or rented automobiles on Interstates 89, 91, and 93, according to DEA and the Vermont Drug Task Force. Some of these automobiles are equipped with traps. (See text box.) The DEA Burlington Resident Office reports that a typical heroin seizure from an automobile trap involves 300 to 500 glassine bags, while the largest seizure exceeded 1,000 bags.

Heroin also is transported into Vermont using commercial package delivery and mail services and, to a lesser extent, by couriers on passenger trains and commercial airlines. Criminal groups outside the state use package and mail delivery services to transport heroin to local independent dealers in Vermont. Rutland police officials reported that an increasing amount of heroin is transported to the area on the passenger train from New York City to Rutland. Increased competition between airline companies servicing Burlington International Airport has resulted in lower rates, making the transportation of drugs between New York City and Burlington on commercial airlines more likely.

Distribution

Wholesale distribution of heroin in Vermont is extremely limited. Occasionally, Hispanic and Caucasian criminal groups based in New York City and Massachusetts sell heroin in Vermont to local retail distributors. One or two members of these criminal groups commonly travel to a city in Vermont, stay a few days at a local motel, quickly sell heroin to local retail distributors, and return home.

Local independent Caucasian dealers are the primary retail distributors of heroin in Vermont. These dealers commonly travel outside the state in private automobiles to purchase heroin, primarily from Dominican criminal groups in Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, and Springfield, Massachusetts; Hartford, Connecticut; and New York, New York. In 1999 DEA and the Vermont Drug Task Force arrested two male Caucasian roommates residing in Montpelier who traveled weekly to Massachusetts to purchase heroin from a Dominican source. The suppliers also were arrested. In November 2000 law enforcement officials seized 350 glassine bags of heroin and arrested two Caucasian females who traveled weekly from Vermont to Holyoke, Massachusetts, to purchase heroin from Dominican distributors.

Law enforcement officials report that many retail distributors in Vermont are also heroin abusers. Heroin abusers in Vermont often become dealers because their sources of supply charge lower prices for larger quantities, and abusers can make a significant profit by selling the excess in cities such as Burlington and Rutland. The Vermont Drug Task Force reports that dealers purchase heroin from Dominican criminal groups outside the state for $7 to $10 per glassine bag and resell the heroin in Vermont for $20 to $45 per bag.

To Top      To Contents     To Previous Page     To Next Page

To Publications Page     To Home Page