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U.S. Department of Justice
National Drug Intelligence Center
Michigan HIDTA Drug Market Analysis 2010
June 2010
According to the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) National Drug Threat Survey (NDTS) 2010,b 21 of the 51 federal, state, and local law enforcement respondents in the Michigan HIDTA region identify cocaine as the drug that poses the greatest threat to their jurisdictions, nine respondents identify heroin, nine identify marijuana, four identify CPDs, and three identify methamphetamine. In 2009, HIDTA initiatives reported the seizure of 365 kilograms of cocaine, 12 kilograms of heroin, 11,969 kilograms of marijuana, and 1 kilogram of methamphetamine.
Cocaine, particularly crack, poses a significant drug threat to the Michigan HIDTA region, although wholesale availability is limited in some areas. The high level of violence and property crime associated with crack cocaine has compelled many law enforcement agencies to identify it as the greatest drug threat to their areas. Wholesale cocaine prices in Detroit increased from June 2007 ($17,000-$24,000 per kg) to June 2008 ($19,000-$34,000 per kg), then remained relatively stable according to midyear 2009 reporting ($18,000-$33,000 per kg). Wholesale amounts of cocaine remain difficult to purchase, and prices for lesser amounts remain high (approximately $1,000 per oz). As a result, some cocaine dealers no longer supply the cocaine before it's paid for, even to trusted customers.
Heroin abuse--primarily of South American (SA) heroin--is increasing in the HIDTA region. Law enforcement officials attribute much of this increase to young suburban Caucasian individuals, many of whom have switched from OxyContin to heroin because it is often less expensive and more readily available. Heroin prices have increased and heroin purities have varied, a likely result of supply not meeting the increasing demand in the region. Heroin prices increased from year-end 2008 reporting ($55,000-$100,000 per kg) to midyear 2009 ($80,000-$100,000 per kg), and retail-level purity varied from approximately 10 percent to over 90 percent. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is reported in many heroin samples, although other substances are also frequently present.
Marijuana is widely available throughout the region. Commercial-grade Mexican marijuana is the most prevalent type, although locally produced and high-potency Canadian marijuana are also commonly available. Local indoor and outdoor marijuana production occurs throughout the HIDTA region and may increase, since local cannabis cultivators illegally exploit Michigan's 2008 medical marijuana legislation. Wholesale prices for high-potency marijuana were relatively stable in Detroit from the end of 2008 ($1,600-$5,000 per lb) to midyear 2009 reporting ($1,600-$6,000 per lb).
CPDs, MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also known as ecstasy), and other drugs are also available in the Michigan HIDTA region. Diverted CPDs, including methadone, OxyContin, Vicodin, and Xanax, are widely abused in the HIDTA region. Law enforcement reporting indicates that CPDs such as Xanax and promethazine with codeine (commonly prescribed as cough syrup) from the HIDTA region are transported to other states, including Alabama, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, where prices for these drugs are significantly higher. MDMA is abused mainly by college students in the region. Law enforcement reporting indicates that powdered MDMA capsules and N-benzylpiperazine (BZP) tablets (which produce effects similar to those of MDMA but are legal in Canada) are available in the area. Khat is also available in the area. Michigan law enforcement reported a seizure of freeze-dried khat in December 2009. While fresh khat leaves begin to deteriorate approximately 48 hours after harvest, initial testing indicates that freeze-dried khat maintains its potency for a month or more. The availability of freeze-dried khat in the region is expected to allow for increased abuse as traffickers expand their distribution operations to take advantage of the longer shelf life of the drug.
Methamphetamine production is a significant problem in Michigan, particularly in western counties, where the number of laboratory seizures has increased dramatically. Law enforcement reporting indicates that producers are increasingly using the "one-pot" method to produce the drug, and street prices for the precursor pseudoephedrine remain high.
b. NDTS data for 2010 cited in this report are as of March 3, 2010. NDTS data cited are raw, unweighted responses from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies solicited through either NDIC or the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) HIDTA program. Data cited may include responses from agencies that are part of the NDTS 2010 national sample and/or agencies that are part of HIDTA solicitation lists.
UNCLASSIFIED
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