Title:

North Dakota Drug Threat Assessment

Publication Date: May  2002

Document ID: 2002-S0389ND-001

Archived on:  January 1, 2006. This document may contain dated information. It remains available to provide access to historical materials.

This report is a strategic assessment that addresses the status and outlook of the drug threat to North Dakota. Analytical judgment determined the threat posed by each drug type or category, taking into account the most current quantitative and qualitative information on availability, demand, production or cultivation, transportation, and distribution, as well as the effects of a particular drug on abusers and society as a whole. While NDIC sought to incorporate the latest available information, a time lag often exists between collection and publication of data, particularly demand-related data sets. NDIC anticipates that this drug threat assessment will be useful to policymakers, law enforcement personnel, and treatment providers at the federal, state, and local levels because it draws upon a broad range of information sources to describe and analyze the drug threat to North Dakota.

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Contents

Executive Summary

Overview
 Fast Facts

Methamphetamine
  Abuse
  Availability
  Violence
  Production
  Transportation
  Distribution

Marijuana
  Abuse
  Availability
  Violence
  Production
  Transportation
  Distribution

Cocaine
  Abuse
  Availability
  Violence
  Production
  Transportation
  Distribution

Other Dangerous Drugs
  Club Drugs
  Hallucinogens
  Diverted Pharmaceuticals

Heroin
  Abuse
  Availability
  Violence
  Production
  Transportation
  Distribution

Outlook

Sources

List of Tables 

Table 1. Methamphetamine-Related Treatment Admissions to Publicly Funded Facilities, North Dakota, 1994-1999
Table 2. Marijuana-Related Treatment Admissions to Publicly Funded Facilities, North Dakota, 1994-1999
Table 3. Cocaine-Related Treatment Admissions to Publicly Funded Facilities, North Dakota, 1994-1999
Table 4. Heroin-Related Treatment Admissions to Publicly Funded Facilities, North Dakota, 1994-1999 

Executive Summary

Mexican criminal groups dominate the transportation and wholesale distribution of methamphetamine and marijuana in North Dakota. These groups are also the primary transporters of powdered cocaine and heroin into the state, obtaining their drug supply from drug trafficking organizations and criminal groups based primarily in Mexico. Mexican criminal groups often transport multiple drugs in private vehicles.

Methamphetamine is the most significant drug threat to North Dakota and is the drug-related investigative priority for federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. Treatment admissions to publicly funded facilities for methamphetamine abuse from 1994 through 1999 surpassed admissions for abuse of any other illicit drug except marijuana. Methamphetamine is readily available, and its availability is increasing throughout the state. Law enforcement officials seized more methamphetamine statewide in 1999 than they seized during the previous 4 years combined. They report that Mexico-produced methamphetamine is the most common type available, followed by methamphetamine produced in California by Mexican criminal groups. High purity methamphetamine produced in small quantities in North Dakota is also of great concern. The number of methamphetamine laboratory seizures has increased since 1998. Mexican criminal groups transport multipound quantities of the drug from Mexico and California via Minnesota and Washington and distribute the drug at the wholesale level. Caucasian and Native American local independent dealers are the primary retail distributors of Mexico- and California-produced methamphetamine. Independent methamphetamine producers, primarily Caucasians, are the retail distributors of locally produced methamphetamine. In addition, the Sons of Silence outlaw motorcycle gang transports small amounts of methamphetamine, primarily from transshipment points in Colorado, and distributes the drug at the retail level in North Dakota.

Marijuana is the drug of choice and the most readily available drug in North Dakota. Treatment admissions to publicly funded facilities for marijuana abuse nearly doubled between 1994 and 1999. Marijuana availability also is increasing throughout the state, leading to corresponding increases in investigations, seizures, and arrests. Most of the marijuana seized in the state is produced in Mexico. High potency marijuana also is produced locally, primarily in small quantities indoors. Canada-produced marijuana is available as well. Mexican criminal groups transport multipound quantities of Mexico-produced marijuana through the southwestern states into North Dakota and distribute the drug at the wholesale level. Caucasian and Native American local independent dealers are the primary retail distributors of Mexico-produced marijuana, while local producers distribute locally produced marijuana.

In North Dakota, powdered cocaine availability and abuse are stable at low levels, and crack cocaine availability and abuse are very limited. Pound and kilogram amounts of cocaine are not available in the state. The limited amount of crack that is available is converted locally by retail distributors. Mexican criminal groups transport small quantities of powdered cocaine from Mexico through the southwestern states and distribute it to local Caucasian and Native American independent dealers and African American street gangs that sell the drug at the retail level. These independent dealers and street gangs also are involved in the retail distribution of crack cocaine.

Other dangerous drugs, including club drugs, hallucinogens, and diverted pharmaceuticals, appeal to a small segment of the population. Abuse of club drugs and hallucinogens occurs primarily in urban areas and is concentrated on high school and college campuses. Caucasian independent dealers are the primary transporters and distributors of club drugs and hallucinogens into and throughout North Dakota. The diversion and abuse of pharmaceuticals pose a growing threat to North Dakota.

The availability and abuse of heroin are limited in North Dakota. The Bureau of Criminal Investigation reports very few heroin investigations. Law enforcement officials report that Mexican black tar heroin is the primary type available, although Mexican brown powdered heroin is occasionally available. Mexican criminal groups transport, distribute, and abuse most of the heroin available in North Dakota. However, in Fargo and Grand Forks these groups distribute heroin to Caucasian independent dealers who sell the drug at the retail level.

Addresses

National Drug Intelligence Center
319 Washington Street, 5th Floor
Johnstown, PA 15901

Tel. (814) 532-4601
FAX (814) 532-4690
E-mail NDIC.Contacts@usdoj.gov

Tel. (703) 556-8970
FAX (703) 556-7807

Web Addresses

ADNET:  http://ndicosa 
      DOJ:  http://www.usdoj.gov/archive/ndic/
      LEO:  home.leo.gov/lesig/archive/ndic/ 

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