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National Drug Intelligence Center |
Heroin availability and abuse have increased significantly in Albany County. As a result of cocaine shortages, some traditional cocaine distributors have begun distributing heroin to new and existing heroin abusers. Canadian hydroponic marijuana also poses a serious threat to the area. CPDs pose an increasing threat.
Heroin abuse increased in Albany County during 2008. Local Hispanic and African American males who distribute heroin in the area typically travel to Washington Heights by private vehicle, bus, or train to obtain bricks of heroin that they transport to Albany where they mill the drug for local retail distribution. Further, heroin abusers in many of the neighboring rural counties travel to Albany, where heroin sells for $25 per bag or $250 per bundle, to obtain the drug.
Cocaine available in Albany County is supplied by Dominican sources in New York City, specifically Washington Heights. Some New York City-based Dominican dealers travel to Albany to deliver multiounce to kilogram quantities of powder cocaine to their regular customers. Additionally, some Albany County distributors, usually Caucasian and African American males, travel to Washington Heights or the Bronx, either in private vehicles or by bus, to obtain multiounce quantities of powder cocaine for distribution in Albany County. For instance, in June 2008 law enforcement officials dismantled a DTO operating between the Bronx and the Albany region and arrested 19 individuals for their roles in this distribution ring. This multiagency case, entitled Operation Family Tree, led to the largest drug seizure in the capitol region in recent history; officers seized nearly 20 pounds of cocaine and 140 pounds of marijuana. Law enforcement sources report that cocaine purity levels have dropped significantly as a result of shortages of the drug and that many distributors are not finding it cost effective to convert the drug into crack cocaine. As a result, there has been an increase in the abuse of powdered cocaine in the Albany area.
Marijuana poses a serious threat to the Albany area. Most marijuana distributors obtain high-potency marijuana from Native American traffickers on the St. Regis Mohawk (Akwesasne) Reservation on the U.S.-Canada border for distribution in the Albany area. Some law enforcement officials indicate that this higher-potency marijuana often serves as a gateway drug for CPD abuse by young people and, eventually, heroin abuse. Mexican marijuana is occasionally shipped to the Albany area from the West Coast through package delivery services.
Diverted CPDs pose an increasing drug threat in Albany County. Vicodin (hydrocodone), OxyContin (oxycodone), and other opioids as well as Xanax (alprazolam) are the primary CPDs abused in Albany County.
Albany serves as a distribution center for crack cocaine in Upstate New York. The city also is a source of supply for powder cocaine, crack, and heroin to smaller cities and towns in surrounding areas as well as Vermont and Massachusetts. Dealers and abusers from surrounding towns travel to Albany to obtain drugs for further distribution or personal use. Some Albany dealers also deliver powder cocaine and crack to their regular customers in these secondary markets. Deals typically take place at prearranged meeting locations in residences or parking lots.
Cocaine is the primary drug threat in Erie County; however, a rapidly increasing heroin problem poses a particular concern to law enforcement officials. Canadian high-potency, hydroponic marijuana is a serious threat to the area, particularly because Buffalo serves as a significant transshipment point for Canadian marijuana smuggled into the United States. The abuse of CPDs has increased in the Buffalo area as well.
The heroin threat posed to Buffalo increased considerably in 2008. Law enforcement officials indicate that the decline in cocaine availability significantly impacted the drug situation in Buffalo. Many local cocaine distributors, unable to obtain sufficient cocaine supplies, have begun distributing heroin. Heroin distributors obtain drug supplies primarily from sources in Brooklyn and Washington Heights. However, some heroin is shipped to the area from Mexico and Puerto Rico through package delivery services. Hispanic individuals on the west side of Buffalo are the primary heroin abusers in the city; however, law enforcement officials report that many urban teenagers--some as young as 14 years of age--and young adults from the outlying rural communities and counties frequently travel to Buffalo to obtain heroin.
Cocaine availability declined significantly in Buffalo during the second quarter of 2008. In the first quarter of 2008, availability returned to 2006 levels for the first time since early 2007, but in the second quarter of 2008 it again fell below 2006 levels. Investigators reported that it was harder to make undercover buys in the area during the second quarter and that abusers were complaining about low-purity cocaine. Local law enforcement officials reported that midlevel dealers had difficulty putting together ounce-quantity deals, and abusers were switching to CPDs because of the shortage of cocaine. Some investigators attributed the shortage to an interruption in supplies from New York City and Atlanta.
Hispanic traffickers, particularly Dominican, on the west side of Buffalo and African American traffickers on the east side are the primary distributors of powder cocaine and crack in the city. Most of the dealers are males and range from 17 to 50 years of age. In July 2008 law enforcement officers arrested 25 individuals who were involved in the distribution of crack cocaine in Buffalo. These individuals were selling 2 or more kilograms of crack cocaine per week in Buffalo and throughout the western New York area.
Marijuana, both Mexican and Canadian, is readily available and commonly abused in Buffalo. According to DEA, most of the marijuana seized in Buffalo is high-potency hydroponic marijuana produced in Canada. However, law enforcement officers in Buffalo report that Canadian marijuana is too expensive for most of the marijuana abusers in the city; most of the high-potency marijuana transits their area en route to distributors in New York City and other areas. Mexican marijuana is transported to the area from the West Coast and from Tennessee through the use of package delivery services.
CPD diversion has increased significantly in Buffalo, according to local law enforcement sources. Abusers are obtaining Lortab (hydrocodone) and OxyContin through traditional diversion methods such as doctor-shopping and forged prescriptions. Additionally, law enforcement officials and treatment providers report that many controlled prescription narcotic abusers in the area have progressed to heroin abuse.
Buffalo law enforcement officers recently seized an active DMT (dimethyltryptamine) laboratory. DMT is a Schedule I Controlled Substance that has hallucinogenic effects similar to LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide).
Buffalo serves as a source of supply for many secondary markets in Erie County and the surrounding area. Dealers and abusers from surrounding towns and cities such as Amherst, Jamestown, Niagara Falls, and Tonawanda travel to Buffalo to obtain cocaine, heroin, and marijuana supplies for personal use and for further distribution in their respective areas.
Buffalo is a major transshipment point for hydroponic marijuana entering the United States and cocaine entering Canada; the Niagara Frontier region is the primary transit area for cocaine entering eastern Canada, according to DEA. Western New York POEs are being increasingly used by Canada-based traffickers for transshipment of marijuana into the United States; a large portion of the marijuana seized in Buffalo is destined for locations outside western New York. The size of hydroponic marijuana shipments to the United States from Canada has increased significantly. Previously, loads shipped through the western New York POEs were several hundred pounds; now most are several thousand pounds.
Powder cocaine poses the most serious threat to Monroe County and the city of Rochester. The heroin threat increased in 2008. Crack cocaine and marijuana also pose a significant threat to the city.
Cocaine availability has declined, and prices have increased in the Rochester area, accompanied by an increase in heroin distribution and abuse. Rochester-based drug distributors obtain cocaine and heroin primarily from distributors in New York City; however, some obtain cocaine from sources in Houston, Texas, and Atlanta and heroin from sources in Detroit. Local distributors, usually young Dominican males, travel to New York City by private vehicle, often outfitted with concealed compartments, to purchase illicit drugs for distribution in their areas; some also travel by bus and by train. They obtain multikilogram quantities of cocaine and multiounce quantities of heroin and transport the drugs back to Rochester for distribution to local midlevel and retail-level dealers. Dominican and African American individuals are the primary cocaine and heroin distributors in the area, while young African American males are the primary crack cocaine dealers. The primary heroin abusers are 18- to 25-year-old Caucasian females from suburban areas. Additionally, some young individuals from Corning and Elmira travel to Rochester to obtain heroin.
Some local distributors obtain cocaine and heroin from sources of supply in Puerto Rico. In October 2008, 25 individuals operating a drug trafficking ring in Rochester were involved in transporting kilogram quantities of cocaine and heroin to the city from Puerto Rico using package delivery services. The illicit proceeds from the sale of the cocaine and heroin were mailed back to suppliers in Puerto Rico.
Local distributors typically obtain marijuana from sources of supply in California. Most of the marijuana is transported to the area using package delivery services.
Rochester is a distribution center for powder cocaine, crack, and heroin to cities, towns, and counties within a 40-mile radius of the city, including Corning and Elmira as well as Livingston, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates Counties.
Cocaine, particularly crack, poses the most serious threat to Onondaga County and the city of Syracuse. Heroin abuse is increasing in Syracuse. Marijuana, particularly Canadian hydroponic marijuana, also poses a significant threat.
Cocaine availability and purity in Syracuse have declined, while the price of the drug has increased. As a result, many of the local cocaine distributors have switched to heroin distribution. Syracuse-based drug dealers frequently travel to the Washington Heights section of New York City by private vehicle, bus, and train to obtain cocaine and heroin. Law enforcement officials report that Bloods street gang members from New Jersey have moved into several public housing areas in Syracuse and are distributing drugs obtained from family and gang connections in New Jersey. Former inner-city crack cocaine abusers and Caucasian teens and young adults from urban and suburban areas are the primary heroin abusers in Syracuse.
DTOs operating in Upstate New York transport marijuana from various areas for local distribution. Some upstate DTOs smuggle marijuana from Canada into the United States through the St. Regis Mohawk (Akwesasne) Reservation. For instance, in December 2008 law enforcement officials dismantled an international marijuana trafficking organization; 29 individuals were subsequently indicted for their roles in the organization, which was based in Syracuse. This organization smuggled thousands of pounds of marijuana and millions of dollars across the U.S.-Canada border through the St. Regis Mohawk (Akwesasne) Reservation. Once in the United States, the organization transported the drugs to the Onondaga Reservation and the Salamanca Reservation (near Buffalo). The cash proceeds were shipped in bulk back to Canada. Some Syracuse-based DTOs also travel to New York City to obtain marijuana for distribution in Syracuse and the surrounding areas.
Syracuse supplies secondary markets in an approximate 60-mile radius of the city, including Binghamton, Fort Drum, Oswego, Utica, and Watertown.
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