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Drug Situation: Mexican poly-drug trafficking organizations are responsible for distributing most of the methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine and heroin in Montana. These organizations have sources of supply in Colorado, the southwest border, the Pacific Northwest, and Mexico. Marijuana is also smuggled into Montana across the Canadian border by smaller organizations. Methamphetamine production and use remains the primary drug issue faced by law enforcement.

Cocaine: Cocaine is available in the larger communities of Montana, but not widely available throughout the state. Billings, Great Falls and the Blackfeet Indian Reservation are the primary locations for cocaine use. Sources of supply are usually located in Washington, California, Colorado, and the Southwest. Crack trafficking in Montana is primarily limited to the Billings area, where street gangs control the market. These gangs have sources of supply in California and Chicago.

Heroin: Heroin is not frequently encountered in Montana. Western Montana, primarily Missoula, has a higher availability of heroin due to the proximity to the state of Washington, historically a transshipment point for heroin in the Pacific Northwest.

Methamphetamine: Law enforcement officers across the state identify methamphetamine as the most significant drug problem in Montana. Mexican trafficking organizations are responsible for the majority of methamphetamine distribution in the state. Mexican methamphetamine is most available in western Montana, due to the proximity to established trafficking routes in the Pacific Northwest. Beyond organized methamphetamine trafficking, numerous small scale local laboratory operators, producing moderate quantities of methamphetamine for personal use or local distribution, are problematic to law enforcement.

Club Drugs: Club drugs, such as MDMA, are not widely available throughout the state but can be found in the larger communities and on college campuses. Traffickers are typically white males, 18 to 25 years of age, with sources of supply in the Seattle, Washington, area. Abuse of other club drugs, such as LSD, GHB, and Ketamine appear to be limited to college communities.

Marijuana: Marijuana is the most widely abused drug in Montana. Most originates in Mexico and is smuggled into the state by Mexican poly-drug trafficking organizations. Locally produced marijuana is primarily grown indoors, with grows generally consisting of less than 100 plants. Potent "BC Bud" or “Kind Bud” from the Pacific Northwest and western Canada is increasing in popularity and availability. It is often smuggled directly into Montana across the Canadian border, and from there is often transshipped to other areas of the United States.

Other Drugs: Following national trends, OxyContin® has become a pharmaceutical drug of abuse in Montana. Quantities of OxyContin® are being illegally distributed in various areas in the state. Dilaudid® and other opiate pain killers are also in demand on the illicit market.

Pharmaceutical Diversion: Current investigations indicate that diversion of hydrocodone products such as Vicodin® continues to be a problem in Montana. Primary methods of diversion being reported are forged prescriptions and employee theft. OxyContin®, benzodiazepines (such as Xanax® and Valium®) and Adderall® were also identified as being among the most commonly abused and diverted pharmaceuticals in Montana.

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 Montana, in Big Horn.

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 Montana.

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

More information about the Denver Division Office.

Sources

Factsheet last updated: 3/2008

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