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U.S. Department of Justice
National Drug Intelligence Center
Lake County HIDTA Drug Market Analysis 2010
April 2010
Mexican DTOs supply most of the wholesale quantities of cocaine, SA heroin, and marijuana available in the region. Mexican traffickers transport these drugs into the region from Mexico and Southwest Border states. They also have well-established transportation and distribution networks in Chicago that serve as sources of supply for local markets in East Chicago, Gary, and Hammond. In addition, they store large quantities of illicit drugs, particularly marijuana, in these cities for regional distribution. For example, in January 2010, the Indiana State Police made several traffic stops in Hammond that resulted in the seizure of 500 pounds of marijuana. These traffic stops led officers to a residence in Hammond. The officers seized an additional 1,000 pounds of marijuana at the residence and charged three Hispanic individuals with dealing more than 10 pounds of marijuana.
Street gangs, such as Gangster Disciples, Latin Kings, and Vice Lords, control most of the retail-level drug distribution in Lake County, particularly in East Chicago, Gary, and Hammond. Street gangs are prevalent in Lake County with the recent influx and migration of Chicago-based gang members into the county. Chicago-based street gangs have infiltrated and now control retail-level drug distribution in the northern third of the county. Members of local street gangs, who frequently make temporary alliances with Chicago-based gangs, also distribute drugs in the region. Street gangs are increasingly developing strategies to avoid law enforcement attention and are focusing on generating profits from drug trafficking. They discourage members from committing violent acts to intimidate others or enforce territorial boundaries. For example, Hispanic street gangs are sharing drug distribution territories with, and supplying illicit drugs to, rival African American street gangs in Gary. Street gangs are also compartmentalizing communications and activities, sharing information with only a limited number of members to avoid possible interaction with law enforcement informants. Many street gangs have also adopted sophisticated countersurveillance and security measures to protect their drug distribution operations. For example, the Gary Police Department routinely encounters audio and video surveillance systems at drug houses in the city, with networks sometimes encompassing several blocks.
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Chicago Street Gang Members in Lake County Law enforcement agencies in the region report that Chicago street gang members are increasingly distributing drugs in Lake County. Officials attribute the movement of gang members from Chicago to Lake County to several factors, including the breakdown of traditional hierarchical gang structures resulting from law enforcement targeting of gang leaders in Chicago, the razing of some large public housing projects in Chicago that resulted in the relocation of some gang members to Lake County, and the expectation of higher profits from new drug operations outside Chicago. Although street gangs in Lake County are typically not controlled by Chicago street gang members, relationships among these gangs have helped facilitate increased drug trafficking. |
UNCLASSIFIED
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