Distribution

Colombian and Dominican DTOs based in New York City distribute wholesale quantities of SA heroin and cocaine to local Dominican DTOs as well as to a variety of local criminal groups and street gangs in the HIDTA region. The local Dominican DTOs, criminal groups, and gangs then either supply the drugs to local retail distributors or distribute the drugs themselves at the retail level. Additionally, local Dominican DTOs as well as local African American, Caucasian, and Mexican criminal groups travel to New York City to purchase heroin and cocaine from Colombian and Dominican wholesale suppliers and return to the HIDTA region to sell the drugs at the retail level. Dominican DTOs operate primarily from the distribution hubs of Lawrence, Lowell, and Springfield, while other criminal groups and street gangs operate at various locations throughout the region.

African American and Hispanic street gangs from New York City, the Lawrence/Lowell area, and the Hartford/Springfield area distribute crack cocaine primarily in urban locations within the region, particularly those in Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and central and southern Maine. Members of the street gangs generally travel to these areas in private vehicles with a supply of crack cocaine. They set up distribution operations from hotel rooms or from the private residences of local female accomplices and distribute the drug to abusers for several days. Additionally, some African American and Hispanic street gang members from New York City are beginning to relocate to rural areas within the region to establish local drug distribution networks. They are doing so in the belief that they will be able to operate more easily because there is reportedly less law enforcement presence in these areas.

Asian DTOs distribute high-grade, hydroponically produced marijuana and MDMA at the wholesale level in the New England HIDTA region. They distribute these drugs to Asian and Caucasian criminal groups in Lawrence and Lowell for retail distribution.

Local independent dealers are the primary retail distributors of prescription drugs in the region. These dealers obtain prescription drugs through doctor-shopping, forgery, fraud, and theft. They abuse some and distribute the rest to other abusers in the New England HIDTA region.

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