News
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 1995
Colombian
Heroin a Major Threat
Almost One
Third of Heroin Seized in the United States Originates in South America
South American (primarily
Colombian) heroin production now accounts for a startling 32% of heroin
seized domestically in 1994. According to DEA Administrator Thomas A.
Constantine, "Just 5 years ago, almost all of heroin seized came
from Asia. Today, 32 percent of heroin seized can be traced to South America,
with an estimated 20,000 hectares of opium poppies being cultivated in
Colombia alone. Colombian traffickers have diversified into heroin and
this is no accident -- it's a shrewd marketing decision made to capitalize
on the increased profits that can be derived from heroin trafficking.
And unless checked, Colombian drug traffickers will be poised to become
central players in the Western Hemisphere heroin market in the next decade."
These figures are
based upon DEA's 1994 Heroin Signature Program (HSP) test results completed
in May 1995. Each year an in-depth chemical analysis is performed on 600
to 800 samples taken from heroin seizures and purchases made in the United
States. As a result of the signature analysis, DEA chemists are able to
associate the heroin sample with a heroin manufacturing process unique
to a geographic source area. During 1994, 790 seized samples underwent
signature analysis at DEA's Special Testing and Research Laboratory in
McLean, Virginia.
DEA Administrator
Constantine stated that "In 1991, South American heroin production
and seizures were insignificant. In just one short year, South American
heroin accounted for 15% of HSP seizures, and by 1994 the percentage had
more than doubled to 32 percent. That staggering growth and market share
would unfortunately make a perfect case study for the Wharton School of
business."
DEA's Domestic Monitor
Program (DMP), which tracks price, purity and availability through analysis
of street level purchases also points to an increase in the availability
of South American heroin. The DMP shows an increase in the amount of Colombian
heroin available, particularly in the northeastern United States. During
1994, South American heroin accounted for almost 7 of every 10 DMP purchases
in Boston, Newark, New York City and Philadelphia, with an average purity
of 59 percent.
In another indicator,
DEA's El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) reports an almost 6-fold increase
in the number of Colombian couriers who were arrested smuggling heroin
into the United States in the 2-year period from 1991 to 1993.
"Data collected
in hospital emergency rooms, police departments, courts, schools, treatment
programs and on the street show tragically that heroin consumption in
the United States is on the rise. Heroin has become more affordable. We
are seeing more people smoking heroin, or heroin use coupled with crack
or other forms of cocaine, and we are at risk of developing a younger
generation of heroin addicts." Administrator Constantine added,
"With the street level at the highest level its ever been (averaging
40% nationwide) we're looking at a serious problem. America already has
an estimated 600,000 hard core heroin addicts. This should be a wake-up
call for all Americans."
*This figure represents only a portion of 1993 because the signature for
South American heroin was not developed until July 1993.
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