Drug Trafficking Organizations

Colombian and Dominican DTOs control the wholesale distribution of cocaine and SA heroin in the PC HIDTA region. Most Colombian DTOs operating in the HIDTA region are cells of larger Colombian organizations based in New York City. These larger organizations and the cells that they operate supply wholesale quantities of cocaine and heroin to upper-level distribution groups, primarily Dominican DTOs. Dominican DTOs control much of the midlevel cocaine and heroin distribution in the HIDTA region and supply African American, Caucasian, Jamaican, and Puerto Rican midlevel and retail distribution groups throughout the area. An increasing number of Dominican DTOs are bypassing sources of supply in New York City and the HIDTA region and are obtaining cocaine directly from Mexican sources at the Southwest Border in order to lower purchase costs and increase profit margins.

Mexican DTOs are increasing their wholesale drug distribution activities in the region. They have well-established transportation and distribution networks throughout most of the country and, since the mid-1990s, have gradually extended those networks into the PC HIDTA region, particularly to Chester and Delaware Counties. Mexican DTOs transport and distribute most marijuana available in the region. They also supply significant quantities of cocaine, and an increasing number of Mexican DTOs and criminal groups are transporting large quantities of methamphetamine into the region, including high-purity ice methamphetamine. Mexican DTOs transport these drugs from Mexico, Southwest Border states and, increasingly, Atlanta. Further, they supply the drugs to midlevel and retail-level distribution groups of various ethnicities, including Asian, African American, Dominican, Jamaican, and Puerto Rican DTOs and street gangs, in the HIDTA region. They also supply illicit drugs to imprisoned gang members and outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs).

Canada-based Vietnamese DTOs are emerging as the primary transporters and wholesale distributors of MDMA in the HIDTA region; previously, Caucasian DTOs, including Israeli DTOs, were the primary traffickers of MDMA. Law enforcement reporting indicates that Vietnamese DTOs are transporting larger quantities of MDMA to the region from Canada in order to supply new markets and gain a wider customer base. Vietnamese DTOs also have introduced high-potency Canadian marijuana to the area.

African American, Asian, and Hispanic street gangs are the predominant retail drug distributors in the PC HIDTA region. Most street gangs are polydrug dealers, selling more than one type of drug at a time. Street gangs distribute primarily cocaine (powder and crack), heroin, and commercial-grade marijuana; however, they also distribute retail quantities of PCP, ice methamphetamine, MDMA, and high-potency marijuana. While serving as polydrug distributors, some gangs do concentrate their efforts on certain drugs. For instance, Bloods, Latin Kings, Ņetas, and Rap Kings distribute primarily crack cocaine throughout the PC HIDTA region. Many Bloods street gang members have moved into Camden from northern New Jersey in order to expand their drug distribution territories. In several Camden neighborhoods, Bloods have taken over distribution areas formerly controlled by local street gangs, which has led to increased violence in the area, according to law enforcement. Asian street gangs have increased their presence in the PC HIDTA region and are emerging as key suppliers of MDMA and Canadian high-potency marijuana. In many cases, Asian street gangs are smuggling these drugs from Canada to New York City prior to transporting them to the Philadelphia area for distribution. Asian gangs are also selling retail quantities of high-purity ice methamphetamine in the region. Asian street gangs operate primarily in southern, southwestern, and northern Philadelphia.

OMGs--most notably Pagan's, Warlocks, and Outlaws--distribute retail quantities of cocaine and manufacture and distribute retail quantities of powder methamphetamine in the PC HIDTA region. Many OMGs have established relationships with Mexican DTOs in order to gain greater access to illicit drugs and facilitate the distribution of those drugs.

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