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Mexican DTOs and Hispanic criminal groups dominate the wholesale-level and midlevel distribution of powder cocaine, heroin, ice methamphetamine, and Mexican marijuana in the North Florida HIDTA region. Most midlevel and retail-level distributors, regardless of their race or ethnicity, depend on Mexican DTOs to supply them with these illicit drugs. Mexican DTOs and Hispanic criminal groups have expanded their illicit drug operations into suburban and rural communities, where drugs are often stored in residences for eventual midlevel distribution to criminal groups, street gangs, and local independent distributors.
Various DTOs, criminal groups, and local independent dealers distribute illicit drugs at the midlevel and retail level in the region. Their methods of operation change little from year to year. (See Table 4.) Retail-level distribution typically takes place at open-air drug markets, in local clubs, in apartment buildings, in local motels, in vehicles, at college residence halls, on local beaches, and at prearranged meeting sites such as parking lots. MDMA is generally distributed in dance clubs and is frequently abused in Gainesville (where a large college population resides) and Mayport (the location of numerous gentlemen's clubs). Ice methamphetamine is not typically distributed in open-air markets because of the erratic behavior often displayed by methamphetamine abusers; methamphetamine distributors usually deliver the drug directly to abusers at their residences or other locations that receive limited law enforcement and public scrutiny. Retail quantities of most drugs are typically packaged in sandwich bags, pill bottles, plastic wrap, or duct tape.
Table 4. Drug Distribution Activities in the North Florida HIDTA Region, 2008
| Distributors | Wholesale Distribution | Midlevel Distribution | Retail Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| African American | Powder cocaine, marijuana | Powder and crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, MDMA | Powder and crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, MDMA, pharmaceutical drugs, methamphetamine (limited) |
| Caucasian | Powder cocaine, marijuana | Powder and crack cocaine, pharmaceutical drugs, heroin, marijuana, MDMA, methamphetamine | Powder cocaine, pharmaceutical drugs, heroin, marijuana, MDMA, methamphetamine |
| Colombian | Powder cocaine, heroin, MDMA | NA | NA |
| Cuban | High-potency marijuana | High-potency marijuana | NA |
| Dominican | Powder cocaine, heroin, MDMA | Powder cocaine, heroin, MDMA | NA |
| Jamaican | Powder cocaine, marijuana | Powder cocaine, marijuana | Powder cocaine, marijuana |
| Mexican | Powder cocaine, ice methamphetamine, marijuana | Powder cocaine, ice methamphetamine, marijuana | Powder cocaine, ice methamphetamine, marijuana |
| Asian | High-potency marijuana, MDMA | High-potency marijuana, MDMA | Powder cocaine, heroin, high-potency marijuana, MDMA |
Source: North Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.
NA--Not applicable.
Traffickers facilitate drug sales in the North Florida HIDTA region using electronic communications, usually cellular telephones and the Internet. Drug traffickers typically use disposable cellular telephones and cellular telephones that are activated through prepaid calling cards. Most traffickers use such phones for a limited time to reduce the risk of having conversations monitored by law enforcement personnel. Traffickers also prefer to conduct drug-related conversations on cellular telephones with point-to-point capabilities, believing that these communications are difficult for law enforcement to intercept. Drug distributors use cellular telephones primarily to facilitate prearranged meetings with individuals to conduct drug sales. They also use text messaging capabilities on these telephones to communicate and arrange meetings. Some drug transactions are conducted through instant messaging capabilities on the Internet. Draft e-mail messages written and saved to a shared account are also used by some individuals to facilitate drug sales through the Internet. Draft e-mail messages can be accessed by any organization member using a predetermined password, thus avoiding the necessity of actually transmitting an e-mail message that may be intercepted by law enforcement personnel.
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