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Drug Situation: Maryland is situated on the north end of the mid-Atlantic region and is bisected by Interstate 95. Drugs, weapons and illicit proceeds destined for New York City routinely transit the state through Baltimore. Maryland's drug situation is complicated by the presence of two major metropolitan areas in the state: Baltimore and its surrounding counties in the northern part of the state, and the suburban counties of Washington, DC in southern Maryland. In addition, Maryland's major seaport in Baltimore contributes to a substantial amount of international drug traffic coming into the state. Baltimore is deeply affected by the heroin trade, having carried the dubious distinction as one of the most heroin-plagued cities in the nation for over a decade.

Cocaine: Cocaine and crack abuse and distribution pose a significant threat throughout the state of Maryland, particularly in cities situated near Washington, DC. Law enforcement sources in cities and towns located along the Eastern Shore and in western Maryland also cite crack cocaine as the primary drug threat in their areas. Violence continues to accompany the cocaine trade in the state. Wholesale levels of cocaine normally are readily available via suppliers in New York City, the southwestern U.S., and the Atlanta, GA area. However, throughout 2008, there have been sporadic reports of reduced availability and higher prices for cocaine in the Baltimore area, indicating that there are occasional cocaine shortages in parts of the city.

Heroin: Heroin is abused throughout Maryland, but is centered in and around the city of Baltimore, where high-purity heroin is readily available. Baltimore is home to higher numbers of heroin addicts and heroin-related crime than almost any other city in the nation. These problems tend to spill over into adjoining counties where many heroin distributors maintain residences. The enormous demand for heroin in the Baltimore metropolitan area led to an increase in the drug's abuse among teens and young adults, who routinely drive into the city to obtain heroin for themselves and other local abusers. In the Baltimore metropolitan area, heroin is sold almost exclusively by street name and packaged in gelatin capsules.

Methamphetamine: Methamphetamine is not in high demand nor is it widely available in the state of Maryland. Reports of clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in western Maryland have increased over 2008, but thus far the overall problem remains relatively minor. However, the availability of methamphetamine imported from Mexico and the southwestern U.S. may be slowly increasing.

Club Drugs: Baltimore, Maryland maintains a thriving rave and nightclub scene in which club drugs, usually MDMA, are abused. Club drugs such as Ketamine, GHB and others do not carry the same demand nor availability as MDMA. MDMA trafficking in Maryland appears to have remained stable throughout 2008.

Marijuana: The most widely abused drug in Maryland, marijuana remains easily available in every part of the state. Low levels of marijuana cultivation occur in the state, primarily in western Maryland and along the eastern shore, where private farmland and public parkland are conducive to growers' concerns for anonymity. A number of indoor grow operations were also seized in the Baltimore area in 2008. However, most of the marijuana that is trafficked in Maryland is imported from the southwestern U.S., while high-grade marijuana, often imported from Canada, is also available to a lesser extent.

Pharmaceutical Diversion: Current investigations indicate that diversion of oxycodone products such as OxyContin® continues to be a problem in Maryland. Primary methods of diversion being reported are illegal sale and distribution by health care professionals and workers, “doctor shopping” (going to a number of doctors to obtain prescriptions for a controlled pharmaceutical), forged prescriptions, and employee theft. In addition, illegal distribution of controlled substances through Internet pharmacies is a growing problem. Xanax, methadone, Klonopin, and hydrocodone products were also identified as being among the most commonly abused and diverted pharmaceuticals in Maryland, while buprenorphine, an alternative to methadone in the treatment of heroin addiction, has become a commonly diverted pharmaceutical drug in the Baltimore City area.

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. There have been eight MET deployments in the State of Maryland since the inception of the program: Baltimore (2), District Heights, Hyattsville, Hagerstown, Annapolis (2), and Laurel.

Special Topics: The Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) supports and assists in the funding of seven multi-agency enforcement task forces and an Intelligence group in Washington, DC.

More information about the Washington, DC Division Office.

Sources

Factsheet last updated: 3/2009

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