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Drug Situation: Mexican poly-drug trafficking organizations dominate the distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana in Wyoming. Local traffickers are supplied by distributors in Colorado, the southwest border states, and Mexico. In recent years, methamphetamine has emerged as the illicit drug of choice in Wyoming. Club drugs, such as MDMA, have also grown in popularity. Marijuana is widely abused throughout the state. Cocaine is available to users, but is less popular than methamphetamine. Demand for heroin in Wyoming is not particularly high.

Cocaine: Wyoming cocaine prices have remained stable, but demand for the drug has declined in recent years. Ounce quantities of cocaine are available in and around Cheyenne and Laramie. Crack can be found in the state but not in significant quantities.

Heroin: While it does not present a significant law enforcement problem in Wyoming, Mexican heroin is available. Most heroin found in Wyoming comes from sources in Colorado or Utah.

Methamphetamine: Methamphetamine is the most serious drug threat in Wyoming. In recent years, methamphetamine arrests have exceeded arrests for all other drugs, however, clandestine methamphetamine laboratory seizures have begun to decline. Methamphetamine abuse is of great concern to Wyoming law enforcement due to its correlation with violent crime, domestic violence, and child abuse.

Club Drugs: Club drugs such as GHB and MDMA can be found in Wyoming, and most come from sources of supply in Colorado. Although not as popular, LSD and psilocybin mushrooms are popular “recreational drugs” on college campuses.

Marijuana: Marijuana is widely abused in Wyoming. Most of the marijuana encountered is of Mexican origin, although higher potency marijuana from British Columbia, Canada, can be found as well. Additionally, marijuana is grown in remote outdoor areas of the state and in smaller indoor grows.

Pharmaceutical Diversion: Valium® (a benzodiazepine) and semi-synthetic narcotic painkillers (such as Vicodin®, Dilaudid®, and Percocet®/Percodan®) have been identified as being among the most commonly abused and diverted pharmaceuticals in Wyoming. Common methods of diversion are illegal sale and distribution by health care professionals and workers, and “doctor shopping” (going to a number of doctors to obtain prescriptions for a controlled pharmaceutical).

Other Drugs: The diversion of prescription controlled substances of concern in Wyoming. The most commonly abused are depressants, such as Valium® (diazepam), and semi-synthetic narcotic painkillers, such as Vicodin® (hydrocodone), Dilaudid® (hydromorphone), and Percocet® and Percodan® (oxycodone).

DEA Mobile Enforcement Teams: This cooperative program with state and local law enforcement counterparts was conceived in 1995 in response to the overwhelming problem of drug-related violent crime in towns and cities across the nation. Since the inception of the MET Program, 473 deployments have been completed nationwide, resulting in 19,643 arrests. Since the inception of the program, there has been one MET deployment in the State of Wyoming, in Park County.

DEA Regional Enforcement Teams: This program was designed to augment existing DEA division resources by targeting drug organizations operating in the United States where there is a lack of sufficient local drug law enforcement. This program was conceived in 1999 in response to the threat posed by drug trafficking organizations that have established networks of cells to conduct drug trafficking operations in smaller, non-traditional trafficking locations in the United States. As of January 31, 2005, there have been 27 deployments nationwide, and one deployment in the U.S. Virgin Islands, resulting in 671 arrests. There have been no RET deployments in the state of Wyoming.

Special Topics: The State of Wyoming participates in the Rocky Mountain HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area), which is based in Denver, Colorado.

More information about the Denver Division Office.

Sources

Factsheet last updated: 3/2008

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