Drug Situation: The movement of illegal drugs into and through Mississippi has been a significant problem for law enforcement for a number of years. Mississippi is ideally suited with its interstate system, deepwater and river ports, and air and rail systems as the “Crossroads of the South” to facilitate drug movement from the South Texas/Mexico area and Gulf ports to the entire Midwest and Eastern Seaboard of the United States. The state is comprised of 82 counties, located within 47,233 square miles, the majority offering rural agricultural areas. Mississippi has 362 miles of coastline extending from Louisiana to Alabama. Mississippi lies within 500 miles of more than 115 million consumers and 136 major metropolitan areas. Mississippi has an elaborate system of interstate highways and major thoroughfares that make traveling to these metropolitan areas quick and easy. Because of their large number, many of these highways are seldom patrolled. Mississippi has seven passenger airports including the Golden Triangle Regional Airport in Columbus, Tupelo Municipal Airport, Gulfport-Biloxi Airport in Gulfport, Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport in Hattiesburg, Greenville Municipal Airport, Meridian Municipal Airport, and the Jackson-Evers International Airport in Jackson. In Mississippi alone, primary rail carriers on the nearly 3,000 miles of train track include the Illinois Central Railroad, Kansas City Southern, Burlington Northern, Columbus & Greenville Railroad Company, and Norfolk Southern System. Amtrak passenger service to and from New Orleans, Louisiana to Chicago, Illinois transits the entire State of Mississippi with major stops in state providing yet another conduit for transporting and distributing large quantities of all types of drugs. Cocaine: Cocaine, primarily crack, is the primary drug threat in Mississippi due to the availability of the drug, its high addiction rate, and its propensity for violence.
Heroin: Heroin is considered a minimal drug threat in Mississippi due to the low demand and high cost of the drug.
According to Herbert Loving, Director of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (MDMH), Division of Alcohol, and Drugs, there are approximately 166,000 Mississippians in need of drug treatment. The state has 774 beds for residential and secondary therapeutic services and 83 inpatient beds. An additional 200 beds are located at Parchman penitentiary. According to the latest statistics, from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005 there were 20,938 admissions for drug and alcohol treatment. Of those receiving treatment, 12,652 were admitted for treatment for drug abuse. (See attached chart.) For fiscal year 2006, the State of Mississippi allocated $20.8 million for alcohol and drug treatment. Moreover, this funding is for treatment at state funded facilities only. Private programs are treating individuals as well without state subsidizing. The cost of treatment has increased 15 to 20 percent over the past five years. The projected increase in the cost of treatment is expected to continue at the same rate; however, this increase could change due to unforeseen events. The cost of treatment per person varies significantly, depending on the individual’s needs. Methamphetamine: Methamphetamine is the second most serious drug threat in Mississippi due to increasing availability, the rapid growth of abuse, the threat to human life, and the threat to the environment.
Club Drugs: Other dangerous drugs (ODDs), including club drugs, hallucinogens and steroids, are not as significant a threat as other drugs. The availability and diversion of these drugs continue to increase in Mississippi.
Diverted Pharmaceuticals:
Marijuana: Marijuana is the most frequently abused and abundantly available drug in Mississippi.
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. Since the inception of the MET Program, 473 deployments have been completed nationwide, resulting in 19,643 arrests. There have been seven MET deployments in the State of Mississippi since the inception of the program: Jackson (2), Gulfport, Hancock County, Greenville, Hattiesburg, and Grenada. DEA Regional Enforcement Teams: This program was designed to augment existing DEA division resources by targeting drug organizations operating in the United States where there is a lack of sufficient local drug law enforcement. This program was conceived in 1999 in response to the threat posed by drug trafficking organizations that have established networks of cells to conduct drug trafficking operations in smaller, non-traditional trafficking locations in the United States. As of January 31, 2005, there have been 27 deployments nationwide, and one deployment in the U.S. Virgin Islands, resulting in 671 arrests. There have been no RET deployments in the state of Mississippi. Special Topics: HIDTA: The Gulf Coast HIDTA hosts the following DEA initiatives in Mississippi: Major Investigations Team, Pearl, Mississippi More information about the New Orleans Division Office. Factsheet last updated: 3/2008 |