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National Drug Intelligence
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Criminal activity associated with the distribution and abuse of powder and crack cocaine is a significant problem in the Milwaukee HIDTA region. According to the NDTS 2007, 12 of the 16 state and local law enforcement respondents in the Milwaukee HIDTA region identify crack cocaine as the drug most associated with violent crime; 11 respondents report the same for property crime.
Street gangs and criminal groups in the Milwaukee HIDTA region commit various violent and property crimes, including assault, automobile theft, burglary, drive-by shootings, home invasion, homicide, money laundering, robbery, and weapons trafficking to facilitate their drug trafficking operations. Street gangs in the region are commonly involved in turf-oriented rivalries that sometimes lead to violent confrontations with other street gangs in the area. However, gang rivalries between African American north side gangs and Hispanic south side gangs are rare, since the gangs are separated by clearly demarcated geographical boundaries and usually distribute drugs to established customer bases in their respective communities. Additionally, a distinction exists between crimes committed by Hispanic gangs and those committed by African American gangs. Typically, Hispanic gangs commit violent crimes against rival gang members as a result of turf-oriented disputes, while African American gangs are more likely to commit violent crimes against other gang members to obtain drugs, money, or weapons. Drug distributors are particularly vulnerable to robbery and assault: they are reluctant to report these crimes out of fear that law enforcement will discover their drug operations. As a result, dealers increasingly carry weapons and often employ heavily armed lookouts and bodyguards, who represent a threat to law enforcement officers who encounter them.
Compounding the problems attendant to drug-related criminal activity perpetrated by distributors, abusers commit various crimes to obtain drugs or money to purchase drugs. For example, law enforcement officials report that the number of pharmacy robberies committed by abusers in the HIDTA region has increased over the past year as the demand for prescription drugs has risen. They further report an increase in the number of robberies committed by abusers for the purpose of obtaining money to purchase drugs.
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