NCJ Number
227611
Date Published
March 2009
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This overview of the illicit drug situation in the Central Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) highlights significant trends and law enforcement concerns related to the trafficking and abuse of illicit drugs.
Abstract
The Central Florida HIDTA region encompasses seven counties. Daytona Beach, Orlando, and Tampa/St. Petersburg are the primary drug markets in the Central Florida HIDTA region. Cocaine trafficking and abuse pose the greatest drug threat to the region, due largely to the region's proximity to reliable international supply sources. Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTOs and associated Hispanic criminal groups are the dominant transporters and wholesale distributors of cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and ice methamphetamine in the region. Mexican DTOs and criminal groups also store a large number of firearms in the Tampa area. These are used for drug-related criminal activities and arms sales. Cuban DTOs are satisfying a high and increasing demand for high-potency marijuana in the region by cultivating significant amounts of cannabis at indoor grow sites. Cuban DTOs are the primary indoor cannabis cultivators in the region. The number of indoor cannabis plants eradicated in the region increased from 2007 through 2008. The diversion, distribution, and abuse of controlled prescription drugs (CPDs) are a significant and growing threat in the region. These CPDs include OxyContin (oxycodone), Vicodin (hydrocodone), and Valium (diazepam). Distributors and abusers of CPDs often come to the Central Florida HIDTA region in order to obtain CPDs illicitly from numerous pain clinics and distributors. Tampa is a major source area for diverted CPDs distributed in the Eastern United States. In addition, distributors and abusers throughout the United States obtain CPDs illicitly from Florida-based Internet pharmacies. 3 figures, 6 tables, and a list of data sources for this report