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Drug Situation: The drug threat in Alabama is the widespread availability and abuse of illegal drugs arriving from outside the state, along with its homegrown marijuana and the increasing danger of local manufacture of methamphetamine and designer drugs. Conventional drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana comprise the bulk of drugs arriving in and shipped through Alabama. Colombian, Mexican, and Caribbean Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs), regional DTOs, as well as local DTOs and casual or one-time traffickers are responsible for the transportation of these drugs. Additionally, Mexican, Caribbean and regional DTOs have extensive distribution networks within the State of Alabama. Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs are also supplying methamphetamine on a very limited basis through their own distribution network within the state. Local production of methamphetamine is on the rise.

Cocaine: Law Enforcement agencies throughout Alabama report cocaine closely behind methamphetamine, as a significant threat. Cocaine is widely available throughout the state. Most of the cocaine is transported into Alabama from the Houston, Texas or Atlanta, Georgia areas. Wholesale distributors transport it into the state in its powder form, the majority of which is converted locally into crack. DTOs responsible for transporting the cocaine into the state are mostly Mexican DTOs and to a lesser extent African American DTOs. The Mexican DTOs are responsible for transporting much larger loads of cocaine than the African American DTOs. The northern and southern regions of Alabama are supplied mostly from sources of supply in Houston, Texas. The central part of the state receives most of its cocaine from Atlanta, Georgia.

Heroin: Over the past year, the presence of heroin has increased. Heroin is available in certain areas of Mobile and Birmingham, as well as Montgomery and Auburn in limited quantities. This information has been provided by confidential sources and substantiated by the increase in the number of patients in these areas admitted to clinics for treatment. The number of patients has more than doubled in some areas. Heroin is transported into Alabama via private and commercial vehicles. At the present time, there is limited or no intelligence as to any specific organizations that are responsible for the distribution of heroin.

Methamphetamine: For the second year, methamphetamine has been identified by law enforcement as the number one drug threat in Alabama. Methamphetamine production in the state has seen a substantial decrease as a direct result of the restricting of psuedoehpedrine sales; however, it remains the most significant threat in Alabama as Mexican DTOs increased the total quantity available. The number of methamphetamine labs seized in 2005 was approximately 20% fewer than in 2004. A more pure form of the drug known as “ice” has replaced the methamphetamine previously produced in the “mom and pop” labs in Alabama. Virtually all of the methamphetamine coming into the state is brought in by Mexican DTOs from Mexico and Texas and distribution points in Atlanta, Georgia. There are independent dealers who obtain lesser amounts in Atlanta for personal use with a small amount for distribution to cover the expense of the drugs.

Club Drugs: “Club Drug” abuse and distribution among young people is on the rise in Alabama. Increases in arrests, overdoses, and seizures of these designer drugs have been reported and indicate a trend toward increased availability and trafficking in Ecstasy, LSD, and Ketamine. MDMA, LSD, GHB, and Ketamine are readily available throughout the state, more commonly found on college campuses and at venues. GHB and MDMA have emerged as the club drugs of choice and the end-users are young Caucasians at all economic levels but users are particularly college students and rave participants. The use and distribution of Ecstasy has continued to increase in Alabama. Intelligence reports indicate the sources of supply for Ecstasy in Alabama include Miami, Florida; Germany; Auburn, Alabama; and Nashville, Tennessee with most coming from Atlanta, Georgia. While Ecstasy is still the number one "club" drug of choice, GHB and the analogs are growing. GHB has become a significant threat in Alabama. Investigations have revealed solvents that contain GHB analogs are being obtained from the Internet. GHB overdoses have been reported in the Ozark/Dothan, Birmingham, Auburn, Mobile, Huntsville, and Decatur areas of Alabama. LSD, which can be found in many forms, has not seen a large increase of abuse in Alabama over the past several years.

Marijuana: Marijuana is the most widely abused and available drug in Alabama. The large, rural areas in Alabama contribute heavily to the large quantities of marijuana produced in the state. The Alabama Marijuana Eradication Program seized 91,614 plants in 2005. Mexican DTOs are responsible for the majority of bulk marijuana transported into the state. Local independent dealers and African American DTOs distribute marijuana in the local retail market.

Other Dangerous Drugs: Other drugs of abuse seen in Alabama are MDMA (Ecstasy), GHB and Psilocybin. The abuse of these drugs has not increased over the past year; however, methamphetamine “ice” appears to be replacing ecstasy as the “club drug” of choice. The abuse of MDMA and GHB is greater in the areas of Alabama where universities or colleges are located. These drugs are brought into the state via private, rental, and commercial vehicles. There has been a report of steroid use in these same areas.

Pharmaceuticals: Hydrocodone was the most abused pharmaceutical drug in 2005. Other drugs commonly diverted and abused were Oxycontin and Vicodin. The average age of a first time user of an opiate drug is between 15 and 22. Alabama created a law to assist in curbing "doctor shopping" by implementing a Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP). Pharmaceuticals are transported into Alabama mostly by private vehicle. These drugs are also obtained through forged prescriptions and “doctor shopping.” An increasing problem is the obtaining of pharmaceutical drugs via the internet.

Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO): Mexican and African American DTOs are major transporters and distributors of illegal drugs in Alabama. Organizations consisting of street gangs and motorcycle gangs may be contributing to the local drug trade; however, law enforcement does not have statistics to support this. Local groups and individuals according to law enforcement are responsible for the distribution and sometimes trafficking of illegal drugs in Alabama.

Money Laundering: Money laundering continues to pose a threat in Alabama, especially in Birmingham and Montgomery. The most obvious businesses utilized are used car lots and Mexican restaurants. These businesses tend to be cash-intensive and lend well to the laundering of illegal proceeds from illicit drug trafficking. An ongoing investigation has identified several Mexican restaurants in Alabama and Florida utilized to launder illegal drug proceeds.

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. There have been ten MET deployments in the State of Alabama since the inception of the program: Selma, Pritchard, Alabaster, Enterprise, Gadsden, Anniston, Bessemer, Green/Tuscaloosa Counties, Mobile/Prichard, and Brent/Fairfield.

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 Alabama.

Special Topics: HIDTA: The Gulf Coast HIDTA hosts the following DEA initiatives in Alabama:

Alabama Operations Center
Mobile/Baldwin Task Force
Jefferson County HIDTA Task Force
Madison/Morgan HIDTA Initiative

More information about the New Orleans Division Office.

Sources

Factsheet last updated: 3/2008

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