Pubdate: Fri, 29 Sep 2006
Source: Statesman Journal (Salem, OR)
Copyright: 2006 Statesman Journal
Contact:  http://www.statesmanjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/427
Author: Dan De Carbonel
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

STATE'S REPORT SAYS ORGANIZED CRIME SHIFTS TO DRUG TRADE

Investigations Drain Time And Resources From Local Police

Criminal activity in Oregon is changing popular  perceptions of 
organized crime as international drug  rings producing and dealing 
marijuana and importing  methamphetamine continue to sap law 
enforcement  resources.

In releasing the first statewide report about organized  crime, 
Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers said the  image of well-dressed 
mobsters is out-dated and too  simplistic when describing organized crime.

"When we talk of organized crime in Oregon, the image  is of the 
Mafia," Myers said. "But we define organized  crime as individuals 
joining together for a common  purpose, which is typically profit."

The report highlights the infiltration of  Mexican-national drug 
gangs who are growing,  transporting and selling marijuana throughout 
the state  and are transporting methamphetamine from Mexico.

State and local law enforcement officials have noticed  a steep 
decline in methamphetamine labs located in the  state and attribute 
it to the restricted availability  of ingredients used to make the drug.

"The whole meth issue is organized crime," said Lt.  Bill Kohlmeyer 
of the Salem Police Department. "The  small-time user labs are not as 
common since the drug  has become a high-dollar business."

The sprawling nature of the drug organizations means  that any 
investigation would be unwieldy, requiring  time and resources few 
local agencies have.

"The whole drug trade drives most of what our police  department 
responds to," Kohlmeyer said. "And in order  to deal with them, it 
takes a lot of time and a lot of  resources. And in the meantime, 
other crime is going  on, houses are getting broken into; it's a huge battle."

Kohlmeyer said the drug problem has caused people to  remove guard 
rails from roads and steal mail for drug  money.

Myers said he anticipated the report raising awareness  throughout 
the state about the impact of organized  crime.

He said increased communication among law enforcement  agencies is 
needed to combat the problem. Often, many  smaller crimes committed 
by a single organization are  not detected as part of a larger 
conspiracy, he said.

Myers also said that criminals are being aided by  technology, which 
assists in cloaking computer and  phone communications, security and 
counter-surveillance.

The report highlighted several operations uncovered in  recent years 
in rural and urban areas alike. More than  half of the 121 
drug-trafficking organizations  identified by local law enforcement 
agencies in 2005  were based in Oregon and were Caucasian-led. The 
majority of the rest were led by Hispanics or had ties  to Mexico. In 
2004, local law enforcement was aware of  84 drug organizations.

Earlier this year, the Salem Police Department arrested  more than 30 
Mexican nationals suspected of being  involved in a drug organization 
that transported heroin  and cocaine. At least 30 people have pleaded 
guilty on  charges stemming from that investigation, including  four 
who were convicted of racketeering.

Myers said criminal organizations also are operating in  prisons, 
online and in local ethnic communities.  Motorcycle gangs and street 
gangs have increased in  recent years, identity theft is frequently a 
team  operation with mail thieves, forgers and passers.

In addition to white extremist gangs, Asian gangs and  Hispanic 
gangs, at least 10 groups made up of people  with ties to former 
republics of the Soviet Union are  reported to be operating in Oregon.

The report says that the groups mainly are involved in  white-collar 
crimes such as identity theft,  cigarette-tax evasion and insurance fraud.

Additional information about these groups, which  primarily operate 
in the Portland and Woodburn areas,  are limited because of a lack of 
resources to  investigate them further, officials said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman