Pubdate: Wed, 16 Jul 2003
Source: Bristol Herald Courier (VA)
Copyright: 2003 Bristol Herald Courier
Contact: http://www.bristolnews.com/contact.html
Website: http://www.bristolnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1211
Note: Source: http://www.dea.gov/ DEA
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/traffic.htm (Traffic)

METHAMPHETAMINE FACTS

Domestic methamphetamine production, trafficking, and abuse are
concentrated in the western, southwestern, and midwestern United
States. Methamphetamine is also increasingly available in portions of
the South and eastern United States, especially Georgia and Florida.
Clandestine laboratories in California and Mexico are the primary
sources of supply for methamphetamine available in the United States.

To see meth facts by state click here:
(http://www.tricities.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=TRI%2FMGArticle%2FTRI_Basic
Article&c=MGArticle&cid=1031770083003&path=/news/localnews&s

Over the last decade, the methamphetamine trafficking and abuse
situation in the United States changed dramatically. In 1994, ethnic
Mexican drug trafficking organizations operating "super labs"
(laboratories capable of producing in excess of 10 pounds of
methamphetamine in one 24-hour production cycle) based in Mexico and
in California began to take control of the production and distribution
of methamphetamine domestically. Independent laboratory operators,
including outlaw motorcycle gangs, previously maintained control of
methamphetamine production and distribution within the United States,
and continue to operate today on a lesser scale. The entry of ethnic
Mexican traffickers into the methamphetamine trade in the mid-1990s
resulted in a significant increase in the supply of the drug. Mexican
criminal organizations, based in Mexico and California, provided
high-purity, low-cost methamphetamine originally to cities in the
Midwest and West with Mexican populations.

In 2001, approximately 8,000 clandestine methamphetamine laboratories
were seized and reported to the National Clandestine Laboratory
Database at the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC). In 2001, 298
seized super labs were reported to EPIC. This represents a rise in the
number of superlabs from 2000, in which the total number of superlabs
totaled 168. Further, for all of calendar year 2000, the Tijuana
Residence Office (TJRO) reported only two seized methamphetamine
laboratories. During calendar year 2001, the number of clandestine
laboratories seized in Baja California Norte increased substantially,
with 24 clandestine laboratories seized as of December 2001. The
majority of these laboratories have been seized in the cities of
Tijuana and Mexicali. Due to the proximity of these laboratories to
the United States, it is believed that the majority of the
methamphetamine was bound for the United States.

According to EPIC, the methamphetamine seized annually in transit from
Mexico to the United States has increased dramatically since 1992.
Authorities seized 1,370 kilograms of methamphetamine along the border
in 2001, compared with only 6.5 kilograms in 1992. The primary points
of entry into the United States for methamphetamine produced in Mexico
have traditionally been California ports of entry, particularly San
Ysidro. Although a great amount of methamphetamine still transits this
area, ports of entry in South Texas have experienced increases in
smuggling activity, although this activity appears to be stabilizing.
The most common method of transporting methamphetamine is within
concealed compartments in passenger vehicles.

The supply of methamphetamine in the United States also stems from
multiple small-scale laboratories, often operated by independent cooks
who obtain the ingredients necessary for manufacture from retail and
convenience stores. Methamphetamine produced in these "mom-and-pop"
laboratories is generally for personal use or limited distribution. A
clandestine laboratory operator can use relatively common items, such
as mason jars, coffee filters, hot plates, pressure cookers,
pillowcases, plastic tubing, and gas cans to substitute for
sophisticated laboratory equipment. The growing use of the Internet,
which provides access to methamphetamine "recipes," coupled with
increased demand for high-purity product, has resulted in a dramatic
increase in the number of mom-and-pop laboratories throughout the
United States. In 2001, the number of labs with capacities under ten
pounds totaled over 7,700.

Methamphetamine precursor chemicals diverted to large clandestine
laboratories in the United States are usually dosage-form
pseudoephedrine or ephedrine drug products. Because of law enforcement
attention and strong state precursor control laws in California,
traffickers have now diversified to pseudoephedrine suppliers
nationwide, buying at relatively lower prices in other parts of the
country and trafficking the product to California, where the black
market price can bring up to $5,000 per pound of product.

Nationwide networks of suppliers, working together, now provide ton
quantities of pseudoephedrine tablet products to the market in
California and to distributors in other states. The latter divert the
product to local methamphetamine laboratories. Small-scale lab
operators commonly buy over-the-counter pseudoephedrine products in
small amounts from legitimate retailers. Recent reporting indicates
that Canadian companies are a major source of supply for
pseudoephedrine destined for U.S. laboratories because of minimal
chemical controls in Canada. On March 7, 2002, search warrants were
served on two residences, one in Paramount and the other in Lynwood,
California. Four hundred containers of 25,000 count pseudoephedrine
jars, or "pickle jars," (approximately 10,000,000 tablets) and
$1,502,000 USC were seized. The pseudoephedrine is believed to have
originated in Canada.

Pseudoephedrine and ephedrine are also purchased from unscrupulous
U.S. distributors who sell case quantities of the tablets. Ultimately,
the tablets are destined for California where they are manufactured
into multiple pounds of methamphetamine. The finished methamphetamine
is then distributed throughout the United States through preexisting
smuggling methods to the traffickers.

In addition, the use of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) has been
encountered as a "cut" in methamphetamine produced primarily by
Mexican organizations. Legitimately used as a dietary supplement for
horses and humans, MSM is readily available at feed and livestock
stores, as well as health and nutrition stores. The addition of MSM
can be used to add volume to the finished methamphetamine, thus
increasing the profit. Increases in the use of MSM may be a signal of
difficulty in obtaining precursors, or a simple marketing method to
meet demand while increasing profit.

The crystalline form of methamphetamine, known as "ice," "glass," or
"crystal," is gaining popularity. Converted from powder by criminal
elements in Southeast Asia, Mexico, and the United States, ice
traditionally was used in Hawaii and southern California. More
recently, its use has spread along the West Coast and Southwest border
areas.

The importation of methamphetamine tablets from Southeast Asia,
primarily via the mail system, remains a potential threat. Produced
mainly by the United Wa State Army, the largest heroin and
methamphetamine trafficking group in Burma, the tablets, which weigh
approximately 90 milligrams (mg), typically contain 25 to 30 mg of
methamphetamine, and 45 to 65 mg of caffeine. Although it is believed
that the tablets are trafficked primarily by ethnic Thais or Laotians
for use in the Asian community, it is possible that larger amounts
will be smuggled into the United States if demand increases outside
that community.

Purity

Until 1999, the methamphetamine problem was increasing at an alarming
rate. International chemical control efforts reduced the supply of
those chemicals needed to produce high-quality methamphetamine. As a
result, the national purity level for methamphetamine has decreased
dramatically. The average purity of methamphetamine exhibits seized by
DEA dropped from 71.9 percent in 1994 to 30.7 percent in 1999. The
average purity of methamphetamine exhibits seized by DEA in 2000 rose
slightly to 35.3 percent and 40.1 in 2001.

Prices

Methamphetamine prices vary throughout different regions of the United
States. At the distribution level, prices range from $3,500 per pound
in parts of California and Texas to $21,000 per pound in southeastern
and northeastern regions of the country. Retail prices range from $400
to $3,000 per ounce.

Seizures

According to the FDSS, U.S. federal authorities seized a total of
2,807 kilograms of methamphetamine in 2001 compared to 3,373 kilograms
in 2000.

In 2000, authorities seized 301,697 SEA methamphetamine tablets in
U.S. Postal Service facilities in Oakland, Los Angeles, and Honolulu.
This represents an 656-percent increase from the 1999 seizure total of
39,917.

For more information on methamphetamine and other drugs, visit the
(http://www.dea.gov/ DEA website.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin