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National Drug Intelligence Center |
The NY/NJ HIDTA region is a national distribution center for illicit drugs, primarily cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. DTOs, criminal groups, and independent dealers of various nationalities and races sell illicit drugs at the retail level, midlevel, and wholesale level in the HIDTA region. (See Appendix C.) Colombian DTOs dominate the wholesale distribution of most illicit drugs in the region. Dominican DTOs, sometimes on behalf of Colombian DTOs and other times working independently, distribute wholesale quantities of cocaine and SA heroin and some MDMA. Cocaine generally sells for $24,000 to $42,000 per kilogram, and SA heroin sells for $48,000 to $70,000 per kilogram in the New York City area. Mexican DTOs are increasing their involvement in wholesale drug distribution within the region, particularly the sale of Mexican marijuana, cocaine, and SA heroin. Jamaican DTOs distribute Mexican and Jamaican marijuana at the wholesale level. Mexican marijuana typically sells for $700 to $1,500 per pound in the New York City area. Hydroponic marijuana sells for $1,000 to $8,000 per pound in New York City and for $2,100 to $4,200 per pound in Upstate areas. Retail-level drug trafficking is not controlled by any particular racial/ethnic group but is, instead, conducted by neighborhood-based criminal groups.
Mexican DTOs serve as the principal wholesale crystal methamphetamine distributors in the region; they frequently supply crystal methamphetamine to various criminal groups and gangs for retail-level distribution in the region. Crystal methamphetamine sells for $18,000 to $26,000 per pound in the New York City area.
Dominican, Hispanic, and African American DTOs dominate wholesale drug distribution in Upstate New York. These DTOs also distribute midlevel and retail-level quantities of most illicit drugs, along with street gangs and independent dealers. Street gang members are the primary retail-level distributors of cocaine and heroin in the upstate counties. Numerous New York City-based DTOs have moved part of their drug operations to upstate counties, expanding their markets and increasing profit margins.
Members of street gangs, criminal groups, and DTOs use a variety of communication methods to conduct their drug operations. Street gang members and other drug distributors in the HIDTA region increasingly use prepaid cellular phones, which can be purchased at a low cost and with relative anonymity--factors that result in frequent disposal of the phones and circumvention of law enforcement communication intercepts. Some gang members prefer cell phones with two-way, direct-connect communication, believing that they are more secure from law enforcement interception. Street gang members increasingly use Internet social networking sites, personal web pages, online communities and forums, and message boards to facilitate their drug trafficking operations, recruit new members, boast about gang membership or related activities, and advertise events and house parties.
Drug-related violent crime is increasing in the NY/NJ HIDTA region; it is most often perpetrated by street gang members. They often use firearms to demand respect, defend their turf, or acquire new distribution territories. Law enforcement officials report that hundreds of small, unaffiliated neighborhood gangs with members totaling in the thousands operate in the New York metropolitan area. However, larger, more structured street gangs such as Bloods, Crips, DDP, Folk Nation, Latin Kings, Mara Salvatrucha (MS 13), Ņetas, and Trinitarios also operate in the HIDTA region. The number of gang-related arrests made by the Regional Fugitive Task Force13 in 2007 (the latest year for which such data are available) increased to 538 from 430 in 2006 and 246 in 2005. (See Appendix A.)
Bloods and Crips are the most prevalent street gangs operating in the NY/NJ HIDTA region. According to New York City police officials, Bloods gang membership totals over 5,000; many members are involved in crack, heroin, and marijuana distribution. Further, a number of Bloods members have been implicated in drive-by shootings, homicides, and weapons trafficking. Bloods members frequently travel to Pennsylvania to obtain guns that they bring back to New York City to trade for drugs. Most recently Bloods members have become involved in home invasion robberies, targeting the homes of known drug distributors as well as homes in more affluent neighborhoods. Some gang members, in order to establish drug distribution operations, have targeted areas in Upstate New York and in rural areas of Pennsylvania and Vermont, areas that have not previously experienced large-scale street gang activity. Additionally, some Bloods members are employed in various capacities by IOC and Albanian DTOs in the HIDTA region. Crips members typically distribute drugs in various housing projects in New York City as well as in areas of Irvington, East Orange, and Newark, New Jersey. In December 2008, law enforcement officials arrested five gang members associated with Crips and Bloods under Operation Crip-Keeper, a multiagency initiative aimed at disrupting and dismantling violent gangs and their drug and weapons trafficking activities in New Jersey. Officers had previously arrested six other gang members during the course of this operation; they also seized 5 kilograms of heroin, 0.25 kilograms of crack cocaine, and five weapons.
Trinitarios gang members are involved in heroin and cocaine distribution at the retail level and are establishing a reputation for extreme violence. According to law enforcement officials, Trinitarios members view the gang as a "family," yet the gang has a hierarchy and formal chain of command. Members often carry baseball bats, guns, knives, and machetes and are involved in assaults and home invasions. Trinitarios has infiltrated schools in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens and actively recruits new members from among the students.
Other gangs--DDP, Folk Nation, Latin Kings, and MS 13--also engage in criminal activities in the NY/NJ HIDTA region. These gangs derive their incomes primarily from drug distribution; they are also involved in robbery and weapons trafficking. DDP is involved in drug robbery and drug distribution. The Folk Nation gang is involved in drug trafficking, firearms offenses, murder, and racketeering, particularly in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. In May 2008, the leader of Folk Nation was sentenced to life imprisonment for drug trafficking, murder, racketeering, and other crimes. Latin Kings members are involved in cocaine, heroin, and marijuana trafficking as well as robbery and real estate fraud. MS 13, a violent Salvadoran gang, is involved in drug and weapons trafficking, extortion, and home invasion robberies.
Street gang involvement in drug trafficking in New Jersey jurisdictions of the HIDTA region is increasing and has led to increased violence in those areas. Street gang members are also involved in armed robberies, assaults, attempted homicides, and property crimes. Gang-related property crimes are often crimes of opportunity or impulse crimes because they are typically committed with little planning, require few resources, generate money quickly, and are generally conducted as a one-time operation.
13. The Regional Fugitive Task Force's mission is to apprehend dangerous, violent fugitives in New Jersey/New York metropolitan areas.
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