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Title:Guam Drug Threat Assessment |
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Contents |
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Other Dangerous Drugs |
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List of TablesTable 1. Percentage of Federal Drug-Related Sentences for
Methamphetamine Violations, Guam and United States, FY1997-FY2001 List of FiguresFigure 1. Methamphetamine transportation from the Philippines,
Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and South Korea to Guam. |
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Executive SummaryMost drugs are transported to Guam through the Guam International Air Terminal. Drugs typically are seized from passengers, baggage, and cargo. Guam's location provides opportunities for Pacific Rim smugglers to transport drugs via maritime vessels. Open oceans and a lack of natural choke points offer an environment conducive to the transshipment of illicit drugs. Limited quantities of drugs are transported to Guam via package delivery services. Methamphetamine, specifically high purity crystal methamphetamine, poses a serious illicit drug threat to Guam. Crystal methamphetamine is readily available, and abuse of the drug has increased over the past decade. Methamphetamine-related violence is a concern on Guam, where law enforcement officials attribute a rise in violent crime to the corresponding increase in methamphetamine abuse. Crystal methamphetamine available on Guam is produced in and transported from the Philippines, as well as from Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, and South Korea. Asian criminal groups dominate the distribution of crystal methamphetamine in the territory. Marijuana poses a significant threat to Guam. Despite considerable law enforcement efforts and eradication initiatives, the drug remains readily available and frequently abused. Typically, the marijuana available on Guam is smuggled from the Republic of Palau or is produced locally. Locally produced marijuana generally is less potent than marijuana smuggled from outside sources and generally is intended for personal use rather than distribution. Wholesale distribution of the drug is limited in the territory and appears to be controlled by organized criminal groups. Heroin poses a relatively minor threat to Guam compared with methamphetamine and marijuana. Abuse of heroin is limited on Guam, and abusers typically are tourists rather than residents of the territory. The drug, which is available in limited quantities, generally is high quality Southeast Asian heroin. In the past, Guam has been exploited by drug transporters as a transshipment point for heroin destined for markets on the United States mainland and in Canada. Cocaine poses a minor threat to Guam primarily because abuse of the drug is minimal and availability is limited. The cocaine abused on Guam is powdered cocaine; crack cocaine is not converted or abused in the territory. Typically the small quantities of the drug that are available on Guam are transported there by individual users, generally tourists, for their own consumption. Other dangerous drugs including MDMA, inhalants, and diverted pharmaceuticals are a small but growing threat to Guam. MDMA is increasingly available and abused in the territory. Inhalants and diverted pharmaceuticals pose a potentially serious threat because of their ready availability. |
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Addresses |
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National
Drug Intelligence Center Tel.
(814) 532-4601 |
National
Drug Intelligence Center 8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 1001 McLean, VA 22102-3840 Tel. (703) 556-8970 |
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Web AddressesADNET: http://ndicosa |
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