NCJ Number
228264
Date Published
March 2009
Length
26 pages
Annotation
Based on recent law enforcement reports, interviews with law-enforcement and public-health officials, and statistical data, this report presents an overview of the illicit drug situation in the Philadelphia/Camden (PC) High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), highlighting significant trends and law enforcement concerns related to the trafficking and abuse of illicit drugs.
Abstract
The PC HIDTA region consists of Chester, Delaware, and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania and Camden County in New Jersey. Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) are becoming more influential in the illicit drug trade in the PC HIDTA region. They transport large amounts of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana for Colombian and Dominican DTOs, which are the predominant cocaine and heroin traffickers in the region. Mexican DTOs are also transporting large quantities of high-purity ice methamphetamine into the region for local distribution. Dominican DTOs and criminal groups are becoming more influential in the illicit drug trade in the PC HIDTA region. They travel to the Southwest Border to obtain large quantities of cocaine and heroin for transport to the HIDTA region; they are also developing sources of illicit drugs in the Caribbean region. Cocaine availability in the PC HIDTA region fluctuated the past year. A significant decline in cocaine availability occurred during the first half of 2007, but returned to previous levels during the second half of 2007; however, its availability declined again in the first quarter of 2008 and remained lower through the end of June. Street-gang drug-related activity and violent crime is increasing in the PC HIDTA region, expanding from the inner cities to suburban and some rural areas. Cocaine (particularly crack), heroin, marijuana, and controlled prescription drugs (CPDs) pose significant drug threats in the HIDTA region. 1 table, 2 figures, and a list of sources for the data and information presented