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DEA
Congressional Testimony
August 23, 2005
Statement of
Gary W. Oetjen
Assistant Special Agent in Charge
Louisville District Office
Drug Enforcement Administration
Before the
Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources
Committee on Government Reform
U.S. House of Representatives
Regarding
Law Enforcement and the Fight Against Methamphetamine:
Improving Federal, State and Local Efforts
Chairman Souder,
and distinguished members of the House Government Reform Committee-Subcommittee
on Criminal
Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources,
my name is Gary Oetjen and I am the Assistant Special Agent in Charge
of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Louisville District
Office. On behalf of DEA Administrator, Karen Tandy, and Detroit Field
Division Special Agent in Charge, Robert Corso, I appreciate your invitation
to testify today regarding the DEA’s efforts to combat methamphetamine
in the State of Ohio.
Overview
Methamphetamine
has rapidly spread across the country, leaving behind it a trail of
destruction.
This drug, which until the late 1980s was
relatively unknown outside of the states along the West Coast, has continued
to move eastward at an alarming pace. Today, few places in the United
States have not felt methamphetamine’s impact. The State of Ohio
is no exception.
The DEA aggressively targets those who traffic in and manufacture this
drug, as well as those who traffic in the chemicals used to produce
this poison. In Ohio and across the nation, we have initiated and led
successful enforcement efforts focusing on methamphetamine and its
precursor chemicals and have worked jointly with our federal, state
and local law enforcement partners to combat this drug. The efforts
of law enforcement have resulted in several successful investigations
which have dismantled and disrupted high-level methamphetamine trafficking
organizations, as well as dramatically reduced the amount of pseudoephedrine
entering our country.
Combating this drug requires a concerted effort by law enforcement
at all levels, and the strong working relationship with State and local
law enforcement that DEA has developed is an essential element of this
effort. In addition to our enforcement efforts, we are using the expertise
of the DEA’s Office of Training, which has provided clandestine
laboratory training to thousands of our state and local partners from
all the over country, as well as to our international counterparts.
The DEA also provides cleanup assistance to law enforcement agencies
across the country, as they battle this drug.
National Methamphetamine Threat Assessment and Trends
Methamphetamine
found in the United States originates from two general sources, controlled
by two
distinct groups. Most of the methamphetamine
found in the United States is produced by Mexico-based and California-based
Mexican traffickers. These drug trafficking organizations control “super
labs” and produce the majority of methamphetamine available throughout
the United States. A “super lab” is defined as a laboratory
capable of producing 10 pounds or more of methamphetamine within a production
cycle.
The supply of methamphetamine
in the United States is supplemented by “small
toxic laboratories” (STLs), which are generally not affiliated
with major drug trafficking organizations. Using recipes that can be
found on the Internet and ingredients commonly available at retail outlets,
these STLs create an environmental danger not associated with most other
drug threats.
Precise breakdowns are not available, but current drug and lab seizure
data suggests that roughly two-thirds of the methamphetamine used in
the United States comes from larger labs, increasingly in Mexico, and
that approximately one-third of the methamphetamine consumed in this
country comes from the small, toxic laboratories.
Mexican criminal organizations control most mid-level and retail methamphetamine
distribution in the Pacific, Southwest, and West Central regions of the
United States, as well as much of the distribution in the Great Lakes
and Southeast regions
Asian methamphetamine
distributors (Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese) are
also active
in the Pacific region, although Mexican
criminal groups trafficking in “ice methamphetamine” have
supplanted Asian criminal groups as the dominant distributors of this
drug type in Hawaii. Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, or OMGs, distribute methamphetamine
throughout the country, and reporting indicates that they are particularly
prevalent in many areas of the Great Lakes region, New England and New
York/New Jersey regions. Some of these OMGs are supplied by the major
Mexican organizations.
The rapid spread
of methamphetamine throughout the United States is due in part to the
proliferation of
STLs, which are found in rural areas,
tribal and federal lands, big cities, and suburbs. The amount of methamphetamine
actually produced by these STLs is relatively small, but their impact
on local communities is enormous. The drug’s impact does not stop
with those who abuse methamphetamine. It victimizes innocent people through
the many methamphetamine-related crimes that occur by those under the
influence of this drug and also the offenses committed by those intent
on finding ways to fund the purchase or manufacture of this poison. Children
are often victims of this drug, as is the environment. Governmental entities
on all levels are impacted by this drug and are strained by the responsibility
of combating STLs.
Ohio Threat Assessment
Though methamphetamine
is clearly a growing threat to the people of Ohio, currently, the greatest
drug threat in Ohio is cocaine, in both
the powdered form (cocaine HCL) and “crack” cocaine form.
Cocaine is generally brought to Ohio in powder form and is either sold
in that form or is made into “crack” cocaine by the drug
trafficking organizations which then distribute it in retail quantities.
The most violent crimes in Ohio are attributed to the distribution and
abuse of cocaine and “crack” cocaine. Additionally, local
law enforcement agencies throughout Ohio most frequently identify cocaine,
either powdered or “crack”, as the drug that most contributes
to property crime in their respective areas.
Methamphetamine manufacturing and use are increasing throughout the
state. For CY 2002, the State of Ohio reported a total of 97
methamphetamine-related
incidents to the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC). These incidents
included the seizure of laboratories, dumpsites, chemicals, glassware,
and equipment. The number of methamphetamine-related incidents in
Ohio increased to 131 for CY 2003, and in CY 2004, 286 methamphetamine-related
incidents were reported to EPIC. Ohio’s 286 methamphetamine-related
incidents included 162 laboratories. Of those labs, 105 had a reported
production capacity of less than two ounces of methamphetamine. In 2004,
over 25 percent of the State’s methamphetamine lab seizures reported
to EPIC occurred in Summit County, Ohio (Akron, OH area – 43
labs seized).
Arrest data shows us that the predominant manufacturers and users
of methamphetamine in Ohio are Caucasian males and females. Local
independent
criminal groups, OMGs and, to a lesser extent, Mexican criminal groups
are primarily responsible for shipping methamphetamine into and distributing
it throughout the state, predominantly through mail and package delivery
services. In addition to methamphetamine produced locally in STLs,
the Cleveland and Columbus areas are also destinations for methamphetamine
produced by Mexican drug trafficking organizations operating along
the
Southwest Border or in Mexico. Methamphetamine distribution has also
increased at “Raves” and on college campuses in Ohio. Methamphetamine
lab-related seizures in the State of Ohio, as reported to the El Paso
Intelligence
Center (National Clandestine Laboratory Seizure
System – as of August 2, 2005) for CY 2002 through CY 2004 are
listed below. While reporting is getting better, it should be noted that
reporting is not mandatory. Consequently, some state and local law enforcement
agencies do not report their clandestine laboratory numbers to EPIC.
It is precisely due to such reporting issues, that the numbers provided
below may under-represent the total number of labs in Ohio, with the
greatest disparity occurring in earlier years (ie, CY 2002).
Chem/Glass/Equip |
Dumpsites |
Labs |
Total |
CY 2002 |
26 |
9 |
97 |
CY 2003 |
43 |
8 |
131 |
CY 2004 |
88 |
36 |
286 |
Battling
Methamphetamine – Labs and Precursor Chemicals
As a result of our efforts and those of our law enforcement partners
in the U.S. and Canada, we have seen a dramatic decline in methamphetamine “super
labs” in the U.S. In 2004, 55 “super labs” were seized
in the United States, the majority of which were in California. This
is a dramatic decrease from the 246 “super labs” seized
in 2001. This decrease in “super labs” is largely a result
of enforcement successes against suppliers of bulk shipments of precursor
chemicals, notably ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Law enforcement has
also seen a huge reduction in the amount of pseudoephedrine, ephedrine,
and other precursor chemicals seized at the Canadian border. But with
the drop in “super lab” activity in the United States,
however, we have also seen an increase of “super lab” activity
in Mexico.
DEA has been working to ensure that only legitimate businesses with
adequate chemical controls are licensed to handle bulk pseudoephedrine
and ephedrine in the United States. In the past seven years, more than
2,000 chemical registrants have been denied, surrendered, or withdrawn
their registrations or applications as a result of DEA investigations.
Between 2001 and 2004, DEA Diversion Investigators physically inspected
more than half of the 3,000 chemical registrants at their places of business.
We investigated the adequacy of their security safeguards to prevent
the diversion of chemicals to the illicit market, and audited their recordkeeping
to ensure compliance with federal regulations.
The DEA is also working with our global partners to target international
methamphetamine traffickers and to increase chemical control efforts
abroad. The DEA has worked hand in hand with its law enforcement counterparts
in Canada, Hong Kong and Mexico, and regulatory authorities to identify
and investigate attempts to divert pseudoephedrine.
DEA’s
Efforts in Ohio
The DEA offices
located in Ohio are part of the Detroit Field Division, which also
includes the
states of Michigan and Kentucky. The DEA’s
six Ohio offices are located in the following cities: Cincinnati, Cleveland,
Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, and Youngstown.
The DEA’s
enforcement efforts in Ohio are led by DEA Special Agents and Task
Force Officers
from state and local agencies, who are assigned
to DEA offices. The Task Force Officers are deputized by DEA and have
the same authority as DEA Special Agents. Currently in Ohio, we have
over 60 deputized state and local officers working alongside our Agents,
Diversion Investigators and Intelligence Research Specialists. Working
in a task force setting brings together the expertise of the individual
investigators and agencies and serves as a force multiplier, by which
law enforcement can better attack the drug threats facing Ohio.
The DEA focuses
its overall enforcement operations on the large regional, national
and international
drug trafficking organizations responsible
for the majority of the drug supply in the United States. Within the
State of Ohio, we implement the same approach by focusing our investigative
resources and efforts on the largest trafficking organizations operating
within the respective areas of responsibility of our six DEA offices.
The DEA’s enforcement efforts and those of our state and local
counterparts have resulted in numerous successful investigations in Ohio.
Our methamphetamine
investigations have involved various levels of traffickers and lab
operators, including
local traffickers and “cooks”,
gang members, and sources of supply from the West Coast and Southwest
border. Laboratory analysis of methamphetamine exhibits acquired in investigations
initiated by the DEA in Ohio, have documented purities ranging up to
100 percent. From FY 2002 through the third quarter of FY 2005 (June
30, 2005), the DEA’s offices in Ohio have made in excess of 300
methamphetamine-related arrests.
DEA’s Clandestine Laboratory Training
In response to the spread of labs across the country, more and more
state and local law enforcement officers require training to investigate
and safely dismantle these labs. Since 1998, the DEA has offered a robust
training program for our state and local partners. The DEA, through our
Office of Training, provides basic and advanced clandestine laboratory
safety training for state and local law enforcement officers and Special
Agents at the DEA Clandestine Laboratory Training Facility. Instruction
includes the Basic Clandestine Laboratory Certification School, the Advanced
Site Safety School, and the Clandestine Laboratory Tactical School. Each
course exceeds Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA)-mandated
minimum safety requirements and is provided at no cost to qualified state
and local law enforcement officers. As part of this training, approximately
$2,200 worth of personal protective equipment is issued to each student,
allowing them to safely investigate these clandestine labs and work in
this hazardous environment.
The DEA has trained more than 8,600 State and local law enforcement
personnel (plus 1,900 DEA employees), since 1998, to conduct investigations
and dismantle seized methamphetamine labs and protect the public from
methamphetamine lab toxic waste. Since FY 2002, the DEA has provided
clandestine laboratory training to over 100 officers from Ohio.
The Office of Training also provides clandestine laboratory awareness
and “train
the trainer” programs that can be tailored for a specific agency’s
needs, with classes ranging in length from one to eight hours. An example of
the clandestine laboratory awareness training occurred in early 2003, when
the DEA’s Youngstown Resident Office provided training to police and
fire personnel from 11 agencies in the Youngstown area. This training has been
conducted throughout the Detroit Field Division and has been provided to over
4,000 police and fire personnel. Additionally, we provide in-service training
and seminars for law enforcement groups, such as the Clandestine Laboratory
Investigator's Association and the International Association of Chief’s
of Police, and have provided training to our counterparts in other countries
regarding precursor chemical control, investigation and prosecution. This DEA
training is pivotal to ensuring safe and efficient cleanup of methamphetamine
lab hazardous waste.
Hazardous Waste Cleanup
When a federal, state or local agency seizes a clandestine methamphetamine
laboratory, Environmental Protection Agency regulations require that
the agency ensure that all hazardous waste materials are safely removed
from the site. In 1990, the DEA established a Hazardous Waste Cleanup
Program to address environmental concerns from the seizure of clandestine
drug laboratories. This program promotes the safety of law enforcement
personnel and the public by using qualified companies with specialized
training and equipment to remove hazardous waste. Private contractors
provide hazardous waste removal and disposal services to the DEA, as
well as to state and local law enforcement agencies.
The DEA's hazardous waste program, with the assistance of grants to state
and local law enforcement, supports and funds the cleanup of a majority
of the laboratories seized in the United States. In FY 2004, the DEA
administered over 10,000 state and local clandestine laboratory cleanups
at a cost of approximately $17.8 million. In Ohio, from FY 2002 through
FY 2004, the DEA administered 556 lab cleanups, at a total cost of $1,145,
600.00. As of the end of the third quarter of FY-2005 (June 30, 2005),
the DEA had administered 331 cleanups in Ohio, at a cost of $655,200.00.
Victim Witness Assistance Program
More than any other
controlled substance, methamphetamine trafficking endangers children
through exposure
to drug abuse, neglect, physical
and sexual abuse, toxic chemicals, hazardous waste, fire, and explosions.
In response to these tragic phenomena, the DEA has enhanced its Victim
Witness Program to identify, refer, and report these incidents to the
proper state agencies. Each of the DEA's Field Divisions has a Victim/Witness
Coordinator to ensure that all endangered children are identified and
that the child’s immediate safety is addressed at the scene by
appropriate child welfare and health care service providers. Assistance
has also been provided to vulnerable adults, individuals of domestic
violence, and to customers and employees of businesses such as hotels
and motels where methamphetamine has been produced or seized.
Conclusion
The DEA, both nationally
and in Ohio, is keenly aware that we must continue our fight against
methamphetamine
and stop the spread of this drug. Law
enforcement has experienced some success in this fight, as is evidenced
by the significant decrease in the number of “super labs” seized
in this country and the huge reduction in pseudoephedrine seized at the
Canadian border. To continue to combat this epidemic, we are fighting
methamphetamine on multiple fronts. Our enforcement efforts are focused
on both the large-scale methamphetamine trafficking organizations distributing
this drug, as well as those who are involved in providing the precursor
chemicals necessary to manufacture this poison.
The DEA in Ohio has seen an increase in the manufacturing and use of
methamphetamine and we are working closely with our state and local
law partners to combat the threat presented by this drug, as well as
the spread of small toxic labs. To more effectively and safely investigate
and dismantle these labs, our Office of Training has provided clandestine
laboratory training to many of our state and local partners. Additionally,
through our hazardous waste program, since FY 2002, the DEA has administered
nearly 900 cleanups in Ohio. As an agency, the DEA also has expanded
our Victim Witness efforts to provide assistance to methamphetamine’s
victims.
Thank you for your recognition of this important issue and the opportunity
to testify here today. I will be happy to answer any questions you may
have.
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