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National Drug Intelligence Center |
The Midwest HIDTA region contains several primary drug market areas, including the Kansas City, Omaha, and St. Louis metropolitan areas and a number of secondary markets, including Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Fargo/Grand Forks, Sioux City/Sioux Falls, Springfield, and Wichita. (See Figure 2.) Individual market discussions are intended to augment the overall discussion of drug trafficking and abuse in the Midwest HIDTA region, highlighting localized trends and deviations. The general drug situation in the Midwest HIDTA region applies to an individual market unless otherwise stated.
The Kansas City metropolitan area includes Cass, Clay, Jackson, and Platte Counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas and has a combined population of almost 1.6 million. Kansas City is located near the geographic center of the United States at the intersection of several of the nation's busiest highways (Interstates 29, 35, and 70), making it a major transshipment point for illicit drugs and drug proceeds to, from, and between significant market areas in the West (Arizona, California, Colorado, Texas), the Midwest (Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska), and the East (Illinois, Michigan, New York).
The Kansas City metropolitan area is also a significant consumer market. Combating crack cocaine distribution and abuse consumes public resources in the inner city of Kansas City, while methamphetamine distribution and abuse are the major drug problems in outlying areas. African American crack distributors frequently obtain powder cocaine for conversion from Mexican and Hispanic midlevel dealers located in the northeast section of Kansas City, Missouri, and from Mexican wholesale and midlevel dealers in Kansas City, Kansas. Mexican wholesale and midlevel dealers are typically supplied by sources in the El Paso and Phoenix areas. Mexican wholesale and midlevel dealers typically distribute methamphetamine in outlying and suburban areas of the metropolitan area; most of the methamphetamine available and abused is Mexican ice methamphetamine. In addition, the Overland Park, Kansas, Police Department reports that CPD abuse has become so problematic that it is now considered the greatest drug threat in that jurisdiction. Oxycodone and hydrocodone are the most commonly abused controlled prescription narcotics, and officials from this police department reported in the third quarter of 2008 that they were investigating an increased number of CPD overdoses. CPD abuse is increasing, particularly among Caucasians between the ages of 16 and 24.
Drug-related violent crime poses a problem in the Kansas City metropolitan area. African American and Hispanic street gangs are the primary perpetrators, and both rely on illicit drug distribution for revenue. African American gangs are dominant; while many of these gangs claim Bloods or Crips affiliation, they are local and tend to be loosely organized and based on neighborhood affiliations. Hispanic street gangs are increasing in number and are more organized and tied to nationally affiliated gangs such as Sureņos and F-13. African American and Hispanic street gangs periodically clash with each other; most violence between them stems from personal animosities, not disputes over drug territories. Additionally, Hispanic gangs are increasing in number and size, and an ongoing rivalry between Sureņos and other Hispanic gangs has resulted in frequent assaults and shootings of rival gang members.
The Omaha metropolitan area, which includes the city of Omaha and Douglas and Sarpy Counties in Nebraska, and Pottawattamie County in Iowa, is located on the eastern Nebraska border along the Missouri River and has a combined population of over 670,000. Interstates 29 and 80 intersect in Council Bluffs, Iowa, which is adjacent to Omaha, providing drug traffickers with easy access to the Kansas City metropolitan area and national drug markets in California and southwestern states. Omaha is a regional distribution center for illicit drugs--cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana are distributed from Omaha to neighboring states, including Iowa and South Dakota.
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups are the principal transporters and wholesale distributors of most illicit drugs to the Omaha metropolitan area. These traffickers transport wholesale quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana to and through Omaha from distribution hubs in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico, and numerous Southwest region cities, including Phoenix, Tucson, San Diego, and Los Angeles. In addition, Mexican DTOs maintain connections throughout many smaller Nebraska towns near Omaha, such as Fremont, Grand Island, Lexington, and Norfolk, where large numbers of Mexican nationals have sought employment in meatpacking and poultry processing plants. Mexican DTOs use their connections in these cities to smuggle illicit drugs into the Omaha metropolitan area.
Mexican DTOs have supplanted locally produced methamphetamine with high-purity Mexican ice methamphetamine in Omaha and surrounding counties. Law enforcement officials in Omaha reported a dramatic increase in ice methamphetamine prices (at the wholesale level, midlevel, and retail level) during the latter part of 2008. While ice methamphetamine availability has remained relatively stable in Omaha, it is likely that traffickers are increasing prices in order to compensate for rising costs associated with transporting the drug across the Southwest Border, such as heightened risk of lost shipments as a result of border violence and enhanced law enforcement interdiction efforts. Law enforcement officials from various metropolitan agencies in the Omaha area reported rising methamphetamine production prior to the spike in prices; however, local methamphetamine production will most likely increase again in the near term as a result of rising ice methamphetamine prices. In addition, if traffickers sustain the current high ice methamphetamine prices, abusers in the Omaha metropolitan area may begin to use powder or crack cocaine rather than ice methamphetamine.
African American and Hispanic street gangs control retail distribution in Omaha. Crack cocaine distribution has increased in Omaha since 2006 as a result of local Bloods and Crips sets--some with drug connections in Los Angeles--aggressively supplying crack cocaine. Law enforcement officials report that local Bloods members have begun to travel to Des Moines to distribute crack cocaine to expand their operations. In 2007 Mara Salvatrucha (MS 13) was the fastest-growing Hispanic street gang in Omaha; however, successful law enforcement efforts led to federal drug indictments of 52 members and associates in late 2007--and a significant disruption of MS 13 operations.
The St. Louis metropolitan area, which includes the city of St. Louis and St. Louis County, is located in east central Missouri along the Mississippi River and has a combined population of more than 1.3 million residents. St. Louis is a significant consumer market and also serves as a transshipment and distribution hub for Mexican traffickers who supply cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine throughout Missouri and to markets in other states, including Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. The convergence of Interstates 44, 55, 64, and 70 in St. Louis provides easy access for distributors to transport illicit drugs from the Southwest Border to St. Louis and markets outside the HIDTA region.
Mexican DTOs have increased their presence in St. Louis and are now the principal transporters and wholesale distributors of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana to the area. Mexican DTOs operating in St. Louis have not yet established the intricate drug distribution networks that other Mexican traffickers have created in market areas such as Kansas City and sometimes must cooperate with local drug traffickers to distribute their drugs, making them vulnerable to law enforcement exposure. Mexican DTOs in St. Louis have primary sources of supply in Phoenix, Tucson and, increasingly, Atlanta, Georgia; they also acquire illicit drugs from sources in Chicago, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, and Los Angeles. Local law enforcement investigations have also discovered that Mexican traffickers operating in St. Louis frequently have connections in Chicago, Memphis, and New York City. African American street gangs (mostly Crips and Bloods sets) control nearly all retail drug distribution in the city of St. Louis, and African American independent dealers dominate retail distribution in St. Louis County (see Table 1). Federal law enforcement officials report that the level of street gang drug activity in St. Louis increased in 2008, and local law enforcement officers report that rivalries among several metropolitan African American gangs have resulted in shootings and homicides in the city.
Heroin and crack distribution and abuse are major drug problems in St. Louis. White powder heroin and Mexican black tar heroin are both available in St. Louis. Investigations in St. Louis have revealed that Chicago is the source of supply for the majority of white powder and black tar heroin available and that Oakland and Sacramento, California, also serve as sources of supply for black tar heroin. Traditionally, St. Louis heroin distributors have been older (in their thirties to forties) local independent dealers; however, in 2007 the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department noted an increase of distributors in their teens. African American street gangs dominate crack distribution, converting most powder cocaine available in the city into crack. However, law enforcement reporting indicates that some dealers are believed to purchase limited quantities of powder cocaine (one-half to 1 ounce) at a time, in an effort to avoid enhanced penalties for crack distribution.
Methamphetamine is rarely encountered in the city of St. Louis, but it is the primary drug problem in surrounding counties, including St. Louis County. Despite statewide pseudoephedrine control legislation, methamphetamine production remains relatively high in eastern Missouri and in the areas adjacent to St. Louis. (See Figure 4.) According to law enforcement officials, laboratory operators in these locations travel to neighboring counties and states to purchase large amounts of precursor chemicals and return to the area to manufacture methamphetamine.
Cedar Rapids is the second-largest city in Iowa and is located in the eastern part of the state on the Cedar River in Linn County, which has a population of over 197,000. Cedar Rapids is primarily a consumer market for illicit drugs, but some cocaine and marijuana are supplied from Cedar Rapids to neighboring cities in Iowa, particularly Cedar Falls, Waterloo, and Dubuque.
Crack cocaine distribution and abuse are significant drug concerns to law enforcement and public health officials in Cedar Rapids. Chicago-based African American street gangs, primarily Latin Kings, Gangster Disciples, and Vice Lords, control the retail distribution of crack cocaine in Cedar Rapids; they also distribute powder cocaine and heroin. Mexican DTOs and criminal groups transport large quantities of methamphetamine to Cedar Rapids by commercial and private vehicles and package delivery services. Mexican DTOs dominate methamphetamine distribution in the market, and the presence of a large, undocumented Hispanic population in the Cedar Rapids area has facilitated this control. Marijuana and powder cocaine are also highly available in the market area. MDMA is available and is transported from New York, California, Spain, and the Netherlands to Cedar Rapids by package delivery services; the drug is used at rave parties.
The Des Moines metropolitan area, which includes the city of Des Moines as well as the rest of Polk County, has almost 375,000 residents. The highway infrastructure in the Des Moines area facilitates the transportation of illicit drugs and drug proceeds to and from the area. Interstates 35 and 80 intersect in Polk County northeast of Des Moines and are the principal highways that serve the area. Des Moines is primarily a consumer market, but Mexican DTOs also use Des Moines as a transshipment center for ice methamphetamine destined for northeast markets.
Mexican DTOs are the primary transporters of ice methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana into the area; they use private vehicles to transport the drugs from Mexico, California, Texas, and Arizona. Additionally, African American street gangs from Chicago and the Kansas City metropolitan area transport powder cocaine, crack, and marijuana to Des Moines. They generally transport these drugs to Des Moines in private vehicles, sell the drugs, and return home with the drug proceeds. Moreover, African American street gangs from Detroit have been increasing their influence in Des Moines.
African American and Hispanic street gangs are the primary retail distributors throughout Des Moines. Local African American street gangs are the primary powder cocaine and crack distributors, although Bloods gang members from Omaha have recently begun to travel to Des Moines to distribute crack. These gangs tend to be loosely organized and formed in and around housing developments. Hispanic street gangs tend to be more hierarchical and tied to nationally affiliated gangs such as 18th Street, Latin Kings, and MS 13. Hispanic street gangs distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. Both African American and Hispanic street gangs have used violence in the past to protect their drug territories.
The Fargo/Grand Forks area includes Cass, Grand Forks, Ramsey, Richland, and Walsh Counties in North Dakota. The population of the area's five counties is approximately 215,000, roughly one-third of the total population of the state. The Fargo/Grand Forks area is primarily a consumer market for illicit drugs; however, it does serve as a distribution center for small communities in eastern and central North Dakota.
Cocaine and methamphetamine distribution and abuse are significant drug concerns to law enforcement and public health officials in Fargo and Grand Forks. Mexican criminal groups are the principal transporters and distributors of most illicit drugs in the Fargo/Grand Forks area. African American street gangs from Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Milwaukee are the primary transporters and distributors of crack cocaine in the Fargo/Grand Forks area. (See Table 1.) Federal law enforcement officials in Fargo report an increase in street gang drug distribution during 2008. Powder cocaine availability and abuse in both Fargo and Grand Forks remained steady throughout 2008. However, crack cocaine availability and distribution increased in mid-2008 in Grand Forks. Marijuana is highly available and frequently abused. Despite the Fargo/Grand Forks area's proximity to Canada, Mexican commercial-grade marijuana is more available than Canadian high-potency marijuana. However, the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation reported an increase in Canadian marijuana availability in Fargo during the second half of 2008.
The Sioux City/Sioux Falls area--which includes Woodbury County, Iowa; Dakota County, Nebraska; and Lincoln and Minnehaha Counties, South Dakota--is located along the I-29 corridor in northwestern Iowa (Sioux City), northeastern Nebraska (South Sioux City), and southeastern South Dakota (Sioux Falls). Sioux City/Sioux Falls is a regional distribution center for methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine, and MDMA; these drugs are distributed from the area to markets in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, and South Dakota.
Mexican criminal groups are the principal transporters of illicit drugs to the Sioux City/Sioux Falls area. They transport wholesale quantities of methamphetamine, marijuana, and powder cocaine, and limited quantities of Mexican black tar heroin to the area from California and Arizona as well as from Omaha. Mexican wholesale traffickers sell methamphetamine and other illicit drugs to Mexican and Caucasian midlevel dealers, who in turn sell the drugs to the area's retail distributors. Caucasian independent dealers are the primary retail distributors in the Sioux City/Sioux Falls area; Mexican and Native American independent dealers also distribute drugs at the retail level, but to a lesser extent.
The distribution and abuse of crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and methamphetamine are significant drug problems in the Sioux City/Sioux Falls area and are frequently associated with violent and property crimes. Increasing crack cocaine availability in Sioux City is attributed to an influx of African American street gang members and independent distributors from Chicago, Kansas City, and Minneapolis. For example, a Chicago man who was arrested for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine on February 29, 2008, admitted to selling between one-half and 1 kilogram of crack cocaine in Sioux City during the 2 weeks prior to his arrest. These traffickers travel to Sioux City, often in private vehicles or commercial buses, to distribute crack cocaine because of the drug's large profit margin in the area--a rock of crack cocaine in Chicago sells for $15, while a rock of crack cocaine in Sioux Falls sells for approximately $100. Of note, law enforcement officials in Sioux Falls reported an increase in cocaine availability and a correlated decline in methamphetamine availability during 2008. In addition, law enforcement officials in Sioux City report that Asian criminal groups are establishing large-scale, indoor cannabis grow operations in the metropolitan area.
Springfield, with a population of more than 150,000, is the county seat of Greene County and is situated along I-44, which connects Springfield to St. Louis and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Springfield is a consumer market and a state distribution center. Cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine are distributed from Springfield to areas throughout Missouri.
Ice methamphetamine and crack cocaine distribution and abuse are major drug threats in Springfield and are frequently associated with violent crimes. A slight increase in high-potency marijuana availability and abuse is attributed to the large college population in Springfield that typically prefers this type of marijuana.
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups are the principal transporters and wholesale distributors of most illicit drugs in Springfield. Mexican traffickers transport wholesale quantities of ice methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana from Phoenix; Bakersfield, California; and Texas to Springfield for distribution. African American local independent dealers, some with street gang affiliations, dominate retail distribution of crack cocaine. African American criminal groups and street gangs in Chicago; Memphis, Tennessee; St. Louis; and West Memphis, Arkansas, transport cocaine to Springfield for distribution. Crack distributors now conduct transactions at prearranged (and frequently changed) outdoor locations, instead of in houses, to avoid law enforcement detection or surveillance. Since 2005 the number of Gangster Disciples members operating in this market has increased, and law enforcement officials report that these criminals now distribute Mexican black tar heroin in addition to crack cocaine.
The Wichita metropolitan area (which includes Wichita as well as the rest of Sedgwick County) has more than 450,000 residents and is located in south central Kansas. Situated at the intersection of I-35 and U.S. Highway 54, two major drug transportation routes from the Southwest Border, Wichita is a drug distribution hub as well as a significant consumer market. Mexican DTOs and criminal groups are the principal transporters of most illicit drugs available in Wichita and Sedgwick County. They may be using indirect routes, transporting drugs from the Southwest to Wichita through South Dakota or Nebraska in an effort to avoid detection. Mexican ice methamphetamine, powder cocaine, and marijuana are distributed from Wichita to many southeast and south central Kansas towns.
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups control the wholesale distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana in Wichita. While these three drugs usually are highly available and widely abused in this market, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Wichita officials reported a noticeable decline in cocaine availability in 2007. African American street gangs and Hispanic local independent dealers and street gangs dominate retail-level drug distribution. Additionally, African American distributors convert most of the powder cocaine available in the area to crack for retail distribution. Asian criminal groups from Canada and Washington transport MDMA to Wichita, where it is distributed by Asian criminal groups and independent college age users.
Street gang activity is increasing in Wichita. Some of the increased street gang activity and gang-related violence is caused by rival distributors, including Asian street gangs, becoming active in crack cocaine distribution, which was typically controlled by African American criminal groups.
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