Outlook

The size and diversity of New York's population and the wide array of transportation options make New York an ideal location for the transportation, distribution, and abuse of illicit drugs. Illicit drug distributors will continue to launder illicit drug proceeds in New York due to the state's complex economic infrastructure and the unlimited opportunities such an infrastructure presents. Colombian and Dominican DTOs and criminal groups will remain the dominant distributors of illicit drugs in New York. However, Mexican criminal groups will likely distribute drugs, particularly cocaine and heroin, at an increasing rate.

The distribution and abuse of powdered and crack cocaine will continue to represent a significant illicit drug threat to New York. Violence will continue to be associated with crack cocaine distribution in the New York metropolitan area and may increase in outlying communities and Upstate New York as New York City-based gangs attempt to take over cocaine distribution in these areas. Colombian DTOs and criminal groups with well-established transportation and distribution networks will maintain control of the supply of cocaine to and within New York; however, Dominican DTOs and criminal groups and Mexican criminal groups will likely distribute increasing quantities in the state.

The distribution and abuse of heroin will continue to pose significant threats, and New York City will continue to be a primary transportation hub and distribution center for South American and Asian heroin. Most of the heroin available in New York will continue to originate in South America; however, the availability of Southwest Asian heroin and possibly Mexican heroin may increase as distributors try to increase their market share. Purity levels of South American heroin will likely remain high as distributors of Asian heroin, particularly Southwest Asian, offer higher purity heroin to compete with that from South America. Colombian DTOs and criminal groups will likely remain the primary wholesale distributors of heroin in New York. Dominican criminal groups, with their established connections to Colombian wholesale distributors, will remain the primary retail distributors in the state.

Marijuana will continue to be the most widely available and frequently abused illicit drug in New York. Due to the high demand for the drug, a variety of criminal groups will continue to transport marijuana to New York. Cannabis cultivators in Upstate New York will supply some of the demand. However, most of the marijuana available in the state will continue to originate in other states and countries. As cultivators attempt to avoid detection by law enforcement and produce a higher quality product, the number of indoor grows will increase as the number of outdoor grows decreases. Jamaican criminal groups will remain the dominant distributors of marijuana; however, members of traditional organized crime and OMGs will continue to distribute marijuana in the state.

The availability and abuse of ODDs, particularly MDMA, will likely increase in New York. Various DTOs and criminal groups will continue to distribute MDMA in the state, contributing to the widespread availability of the drug. Concerts, nightclubs, raves, techno parties, and college campuses will remain the primary outlets for the drug. The diversion and abuse of pharmaceuticals will likely remain a serious threat to New York.

The distribution and abuse of methamphetamine will continue to pose a low threat to New York. However, abuse levels may gradually increase as methamphetamine abuse expands primarily beyond limited segments of the gay community, economically depressed rural neighborhoods, members of OMGs, college students, and the rave and techno party community.

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