DEA
Congressional Testimony
Statement
by:
William H.
Hansen
Assistant Special Agent in Charge
El Paso Field Division
Drug Enforcement Administration
Before
the:
House Judiciary
Subcommittee on Crime
Date:
April 24,
2000
Note: This document
may not reflect changes made in actual delivery.
Congresswoman Wilson,
Members of the Subcommittee: I am pleased to have the opportunity to appear
before you today to discuss the growing dangers that methamphetamine trafficking,
use and abuse, and the spread of clandestine drug laboratories, pose to
the citizens of our country. It is fair to say that methamphetamine is
one of the most significant law enforcement and social issues facing our
nation today, and it has affected specific regions of the country in a
dramatic fashion.
Methamphetamine trafficking
and use have increased exponentially over the past six years, and my testimony
today will provide the subcommittee with information on how, where and
why this has occurred, and how federal law enforcement is working with
state and local partners across the nation to address the methamphetamine
problem.
While methamphetamine
is not an entirely new problem in the United States, about six years ago
an upsurge in methamphetamine trafficking and abuse began taking hold
in many regions of the nation, starting on the West Coast, and rapidly
expanding into the Midwest and Southwestern United States. DEA statistics
indicate that in 1993, DEA seized a total of 218 methamphetamine labs
nationwide. Current DEA statistics indicate that in 1999, DEA alone seized
2,021 clandestine laboratories and that the total number of laboratories
seized by Federal, state and local law enforcement officers nationwide
was over 7,000.
Since 1996, the Southwest
United States has experienced a significant increase in the use and availability
of methamphetamine. DEA El Paso continues to confront a dual methamphetamine
problem: not only is methamphetamine transported into the El Paso Division
by organized criminal drug trafficking groups operating from California
and the Southwest border, but methamphetamine is produced in hundreds
of local clandestine laboratories by loose-knit networks of individuals.
These clandestine laboratories represent a substantial health and safety
threat to communities. The flammable, explosive, toxic, and carcinogenic
chemicals used in the manufacturing process pose an immediate and long-term
threat to law enforcement, fire department, and emergency services personnel,
as well as the general public. Fires and explosions are a constant threat
in this type of environment. The threat to the environment is substantial,
due to the illegal and unsafe disposal methods of clandestine methamphetamine
lab operators. These environmental hazards are very expensive to clean
up; the average cost of a clandestine lab clean up in New Mexico now runs
approximately $5,000.
DEA nationwide methamphetamine
arrests in 1999 totaled 8,783. Of those, 97 methamphetamine arrests were
made in New Mexico. Nationwide methamphetamine seizures have increased
significantly since 1995, according to information from DEA's database.
In New Mexico, methamphetamine seizures have increased from approximately
one kilogram in 1995 to approximately 50 kilograms in 1999. After a slight
decline in 1998, preliminary data from 1999 indicates that methamphetamine
seizures have surpassed prior levels. Methamphetamine seizures within
the El Paso Field Division (EPFD) remain confined to the jurisdictions
of DEA Albuquerque and DEA Las Cruces. For instance, on December 29, 1999,
DEA Las Cruces reported the seizure of approximately 22 pounds of methamphetamine
by the U.S. Border Patrol at a checkpoint north of Las Cruces. Also in
December 1999, approximately 10 kilograms of methamphetamine were seized
by law enforcement. In February 2000, the New Mexico State Police seized
14 kilograms of methamphetamine in Gallup, NM, making two arrests. DEA
reports of methamphetamine seizures indicate a 37 percent increase for
Calendar Year 1999 in New Mexico, which is considerably higher than the
nationwide increase of 11.6 percent.
The EPFD reports
a significant increase in domestically produced methamphetamine. DEA Albuquerque
(ADO) seized 20 clandestine laboratories operating in New Mexico in calendar
year 1997 and 29 laboratories in calendar year 1998. In 1999, the ADO
seized a total of 57 laboratories. The production capability of most of
the local clandestine labs is usually in the range of two to four ounces
per process. The pseudoephedrine reduction method of methamphetamine synthesis
continues to be the most popular, although the Birch, or "Nazi" method
of methamphetamine production is starting to gain limited popularity in
towns such as Roswell and Alamogordo, New Mexico. Because of the heightened
attention paid to iodine and red phosphorous purchases, some methamphetamine
laboratory operators have found that using chemicals such as anhydrous
ammonia and lithium helps them to avoid law enforcement detection. Precursor
chemicals for methamphetamine typically are purchased in the United States.
While methamphetamine
seizures in New Mexico increased significantly since 1995, DEA Albuquerque
reports that the availability of methamphetamine in the state has remained
relatively constant over the past two years. Methamphetamine sells for
$600 to $1,000 per ounce and $18,000 per kilogram.
Historically, the
suppliers of methamphetamine throughout the United States have been outlaw
motorcycle gangs and numerous other independent trafficking groups. Although
these groups continue to produce and distribute methamphetamine, organized
crime polydrug trafficking groups operating from Mexico and California
dominate wholesale methamphetamine trafficking in the United States. Over
the past few years, these groups have revolutionized the production of
this drug by operating large-scale laboratories in Mexico and the United
States that are capable of producing unprecedented quantities of methamphetamine.
The groups have saturated the western U.S. with this product and are increasingly
moving their product to markets in the eastern United States.
Recent information
suggests that Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, most notably the Hells Angels and
the Bandidos, are producing their own methamphetamine rather than relying
upon California-and Mexico-based organizations. This is primarily due
to the decreased purity of the methamphetamine supplied by the California-and
Mexico-based organizations.
The violence associated
with methamphetamine trafficking and use has also produced a collateral
impact on the crime statistics of communities across the U.S. Methamphetamine-related
violence usually results from the user under the influence of the drug;
users who committed violent acts to obtain money or more of the drug;
and distributors who used violence in the course of conducting their illicit
business. Television viewers nationwide recall watching live footage of
a paranoid methamphetamine addict who stole a tank from a National Guard
armory and went on a car crushing rampage in the San Diego area. Another
methamphetamine addict here in New Mexico beheaded his son after experiencing
hallucinations in which he believed his son was Satan. Every community
with a methamphetamine abuse problem has experienced violence in some
form or another. However, most commonly, this violence routinely presents
itself in the form of domestic violence.
Domestically
Produced Methamphetamine
While the vast majority
of methamphetamine available in the United States is produced and trafficked
by the well-organized groups from Mexico, domestic production of methamphetamine
is also a significant problem. The production level of these laboratories,
often makeshift and described as mom and pop labs, is relatively low.
However, the large number of these labs and the environmental and law
enforcement concerns associated with their operation, poses major problems
to state and local law enforcement agencies, as well as to DEA.
Methamphetamine is,
in fact, a very simple drug to produce. A user can go to retail stores
and easily purchase the vast majority of the ingredients necessary to
manufacture the drug. Precursor chemicals such as pseudoephedrine can
be extracted from common, over-the-counter cold medications. A clandestine
lab operator can utilize common items as substitutes for sophisticated
laboratory equipment. Unlike Fentanyl, LSD, or other types of synthetic
drugs, it does not take a college-educated chemist to produce methamphetamine.
Despite the fact
that the majority of these laboratories produce relatively small amounts
of methamphetamine, the proliferation of this type of laboratory has imposed
terrible burdens on law enforcement agencies and departments. In some
respects, the methamphetamine problem is synonymous with the clandestine
laboratory problem and this issue has been the focus of much media attention
in recent months. Although the methamphetamine problem and the clandestine
lab problem are both part of the same drug abuse mosaic, in reality, they
are somewhat different issues, which may require a different law enforcement
response in order to successfully combat the spiraling increases in both
arenas.
The threats posed
by clandestine labs are not limited to fire, explosion, poison gas, and
booby traps; the chemical contamination of the hazardous waste contained
in these labs also poses a serious danger to our nation's environment.
Each pound of methamphetamine generated in a clandestine lab can result
in as much as five pounds of toxic waste, which clandestine lab operators
routinely dump into our nations streams, rivers, and sewage systems to
cover up the evidence of their illegal operations. Because of the possibility
of explosions and direct contact with toxic fumes and hazardous chemicals,
law enforcement officers who raid clandestine drug labs are now required
to take special hazardous materials (HAZMAT) handling training.
The highly toxic
and flammable chemicals involved make these rudimentary laboratories ticking
time bombs that require specialized training to dismantle and clean up.
DEA is pleased to have certified thousands of state and local law enforcement
officers in raiding and dismantling them and provide funds for cleaning
them up.
The size of the clandestine
lab does not matter when it comes to the danger level involved in a clandestine
laboratory raid. The smaller laboratory is usually more dangerous than
the larger operations because the cooks are generally less experienced
chemists who often have little regard for the safety issues that arise
when dealing with explosive and poisonous chemicals. However, the size
of a clandestine laboratory can be a significant factor in the costs associated
with the hazardous waste cleanup. Larger production laboratories usually
have larger quantities of toxic chemicals, and therefore, more significant
hazardous waste disposal charges. DEA records indicate that the average
costs of cleanup for clandestine labs seized throughout New Mexico have
ranged from $3,000 - $9,000 depending on the size of the lab.
DEA's Strategy
to Fight Methamphetamine
The National Methamphetamine
Strategy encompasses several elements, including: Targeting and building
cases against the major methamphetamine traffickers based in Mexico and
against their surrogates operating in the United States today; assisting
state and local law enforcement agencies in making cases against methamphetamine
manufacturers and traffickers working in the United States; partnering
with state and local law enforcement to assist with training and laboratory
clean-up; and controlling the precursor chemicals necessary for methamphetamine
production in Mexico and the United States.
DEA Clandestine
Laboratory Safety/Certification Training
In 1987, DEA created
a special training unit for clandestine laboratory safety/certification
training which is located at Quantico, Virginia. This unit originated
in response to concerns from DEA management that the agency's Special
Agents and task force officers were being exposed to hazardous, toxic,
and carcinogenic chemicals while executing raids on clandestine drug laboratories.
Some DEA field offices, primarily in the state of California, were reporting
that Special Agents and officers appeared to be suffering serious health
problems as a result of both short and long-term exposure to the chemical
and toxic fumes encountered when processing these drug laboratories. The
U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, 29 C.F.R. 1910.12, now mandates that
all federal, state, and local law enforcement officers must receive at
least 24 hours of hazardous chemical handling training (specific Occupational
Safety, Health and Administration (OSHA) standards for courses and equipment),
prior to entering a clandestine drug laboratory.
The dangers associated
with the clandestine manufacture of methamphetamine are clear. In 1999,
the National Clandestine Laboratory Database reports indicate that 64
fires and 40 explosions were reported at clan labs and that approximately
6 people are killed every year from explosions and/or fires in clandestine
labs. Many more receive serious burns or develop serious health problems
from clandestine laboratory explosions and fires. There have been reports
of apartment complexes and a $3.5 million hotel which burned down as the
result of drug lab "cooks" that turned into chemical time bombs. Recent
years have seen an increase in the number of injuries to untrained police
officers who investigate and/or dismantle clandestine laboratories without
utilizing the proper safety equipment.
Reports of property
damage and injuries to children from drug lab disasters have also increased
throughout the nation. According to DEA statistics, approximately 90%
of the clan labs located in private residences had children either on
site or present at the time of the seizure.
In response to this
serious problem and to satisfy the training requirement established by
OSHA, DEA has initiated an aggressive training schedule to increase the
number of clandestine laboratory safety schools provided to state and
local police officers throughout the nation. The DEA Clandestine Laboratory
Safety Program conducts its safety/certification schools at the DEA Clandestine
Laboratory Training Facility in Quantico, Virginia. An auxiliary regional
training facility has also been established for the Midwest U.S., near
Kansas City. This specialized unit frequently conducts in-service training
and seminars for law enforcement groups such as the Clandestine Laboratory
Investigators Association (CLIA) and the International Association of
Chiefs of Police (IACP). In addition, the DEA Clandestine Laboratory Training
Unit provides police awareness training seminars to law enforcement organizations
across the U.S., as well as the annual re-certification training which
is mandated by OSHA regulations.
Students who graduate
from the DEA Clandestine Lab School in Quantico, Virginia, are issued
over $2,000 in specialized clandestine lab safety equipment. Some of the
items issued include: Level III nomex fire-resistant ballistic vests;
nomex fire-resistant jackets, pants, and gloves; chemical resistant boots;
air purifying respirators; chemical testing equipment, explosion-proof
flashlights; chemical resistant clothing for conducting hazard assessments
and processing drug labs; and goggles to prevent eye injuries in the event
a suspect throws acid or other dangerous chemicals at law enforcement
personnel. Since 1997, DEA has conducted a total of 103 clandestine laboratory
certification schools for 3,803 Special Agents and state and local law
enforcement personnel across the country. The officers trained in the
past three years account for more than 80% of all officers currently clan
lab certified in the country.
In Fiscal Year1999,
DEA received a total of $11.0 million through the Community Oriented Police
Services (COPS) program for state and local methamphetamine related training
and hazardous waste cleanup services. This total included $6.0 million
to provide for clandestine laboratory certification training and $5.0
million for contracted hazardous waste disposal services for state and
local law enforcement personnel and organizations across the United States.
Unlike in past years,
funding provided by the Congress through the COPS methamphetamine program
in FY 2000 will be distributed directly to select state and local law
enforcement organizations throughout the country instead of to DEA for
necessary training and cleanup services. It should be noted that many
states that received COPS funding directly are not using these funds for
cleanup and are instead relying on additional federal support. Through
the use of residual COPS carryover funding from 1998 and 1999, as well
as some direct resources, DEA will continue to provide training and cleanup
services for those remaining state and local law enforcement organizations,
including New Mexico law enforcement offices and personnel, who were not
covered in the FY 2000 appropriation. However, due to the lack of additional
COPS funding being directed to DEA in FY 2000, our resources, particularly
in the area of clandestine laboratory cleanup, are extremely limited;
as you are aware, the COPS funds dedicated solely to state and local clan
lab cleanups were depleted in early March of this year. DEA is currently
working with the DOJ, OMB and the U.S. Congress to secure additional FY
2000 resources for the agency's state and local clandestine laboratory
training and cleanup programs.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Today, we are optimistic
that our chemical control efforts, combined with aggressive anti-methamphetamine
law enforcement efforts in the local police arena, have been the catalyst
for the decrease in methamphetamine purity. However, success in combating
the smaller lab-based methamphetamine problem may be much more difficult
to achieve. In recent months, several DEA offices in the Midwest and California
have reported that the purity of Mexican methamphetamine has significantly
dropped in the majority of controlled purchases and seizures. Many law
enforcement agencies in the Midwest and California are now reporting that
the previous high purity (80%+ range) of Mexican methamphetamine has now
dropped to less than 30%. Information provided by DEA reporting systems
shows that nationally, the average purity for methamphetamine has dropped
from 60.5 percent in 1995 to 27.2 percent in 1999.
Conclusion
Methamphetamine,
and other controlled substances, which are produced in clandestine laboratories,
provides an increasing threat to drug law enforcement personnel as well
as the citizens of our nation. The vast power and influence of international
drug trafficking syndicates, particularly those based in Mexico, continues
to grow. Their impact on communities around our nation is devastating.
Domestically based
drug traffickers who engage in methamphetamine production and trafficking
are also a major threat to our nation's stability. Since methamphetamine
is relatively easy to produce, and with the proliferation of information
on methamphetamine production available on the Internet, unscrupulous
individuals will continue to take part in this illegal and dangerous enterprise.
Traffickers need less than$1,000 worth of chemicals to make methamphetamine
worth more than $10,000 in a trailer, hotel room, or house anywhere in
the United States.
Reports of property
damage and injuries to children from drug lab disasters have also increased
throughout the nation. Costs associated with clandestine methamphetamine
production extend to neighbors, business and property owners, and the
community in general.
As the number of
clandestine labs operated by both internationally-based criminal organizations
and small, independent "mom and pop" operations continues to escalate,
the chances of narcotics officers or other personnel, inadvertently encountering
clandestine labs will become more and more prevalent. In the years to
come, DEA will continue to work to improve its efforts in the methamphetamine
arena to ensure a safe future for both our law enforcement personnel dedicated
to addressing this dangerous problem as well as our citizens. I thank
you for providing me with this opportunity to address the Subcommittee
and I look forward to taking any questions you may have on this important
issue.
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