|
Drug Situation: Heroin, cocaine HCl, crack
cocaine, and marijuana remained the four most available, popular, used, and
trafficked illegal drugs in Pennsylvania and Delaware. However, clandestinely
manufactured drugs, such as methamphetamine, and club drugs, such as
MDMA/ecstasy, also remained readily available to users of various ages and
socioeconomic backgrounds, but were primarily concentrated in the metropolitan
areas and college/rave party scenes. PCP and LSD remained available to users in
the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas.
Most trafficking and distribution was accomplished by
a variety of Hispanic and African-American organizations that are scattered
throughout the division. Some of these groups were connected primarily to
sources in New York City, yet some distributed drugs that were either brought
to the division via other transshipment locations or that were shipped or
transported directly to Philadelphia or other localities from source areas. In
general, Philadelphia's street corner distribution networks remained the main
sources of supply for drugs sold to users throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware.
Investigations into the diversion of pharmaceutical drugs and laundering of
drug proceeds remained important facets of the division's total enforcement
effort during the quarter.
Investigations revealed that drug use and distribution
continues to branch out from the major metropolitan areas into some of the more
suburban and rural areas in the division. This trend continued to concern local
law enforcement officials, who were particularly worried about the spread of
violence that accompanies the spread of drugs. |
