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Drug Trends Florida
Club Drugs
MDMA is the most readily available dangerous drug throughout Florida. LSD remains
available, however seizures are rare. GHB is also readily available in Florida,
especially in and around colleges and universities. MDMA is found at rave parties
in all parts of Florida and is frequently used in conjunction with other illegal
and/or prescription drugs. GHB is commonly abused in Florida, as well as two
precursors - GBL and Butanediol (BD).
Cocaine
Cocaine is readily available in multi-kilogram amounts throughout Florida and
remains the primary drug of choice. South American trafficking organizations
dominate the importation and distribution of cocaine in Florida. Smuggling via
the use of go-fast vessels and pleasure craft, primarily from The Bahamas, and
commercial cargo remains the biggest trafficking threat in the MFD. The Caribbean
serves as a major transit zone for cocaine from Central and South America into
Florida. Mexican nationals continue to be the primary cocaine distribution groups
throughout the Florida Panhandle. These groups transport their cocaine in passenger
vehicles from the U.S. southwest border areas. Miami is the primary source for
the cocaine found in the Jacksonville area. Couriers transport the drug via
Interstate-95 from South Florida. The vast majority of the cocaine available
in Fort Myers and Naples comes from Miami via couriers in private automobiles
utilizing Interstate-75. Interdiction arrests and seizures indicate that traffickers
from Sarasota to Tampa are also utilizing Interstate-75 from Miami.
Crack Cocaine
Crack cocaine continues to be available throughout Florida and remains a drug
of choice for many throughout the state. Cocaine HCl powder from sources in
Miami continues to be converted into crack in other areas of the state. Local
conversion of cocaine powder into crack makes it highly available in southwest
and northern Florida. Crack cocaine remains a problem statewide in lower socio-economic
areas. Crack cocaine is the most serious drug problem in the Orlando area and
abuse remains high. Most of the cocaine HCl brought into the Orlando area is
converted into crack. After being converted to crack, the cocaine is sold locally
in the Orlando metropolitan area and transported northward to Georgia, Alabama,
the Carolinas and the Atlantic coast areas of the U.S. Cocaine, both crack and
HCl, are readily available throughout the Jacksonville area, however crack cocaine
poses the most serious threat to the region. The distribution and usage of crack
is linked to an extensive amount of criminal activity and has placed economic
burdens on the community. Cocaine is regularly transported to Jacksonville in
private and commercial vehicles along Interstate-95 from South Florida. The
cocaine is either converted into crack and distributed, or is broken down, adulterated
and sold to drug distribution organizations based in northeast Florida, South
Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas.
Heroin
Heroin remains readily available throughout Florida, with the highest concentrations
in the southern and central parts of the state. MIA is a major gateway for South
American heroin distribution throughout the northeast United States. The primary
method in which South American heroin is smuggled into Florida is through the
use of couriers on commercial flights. The couriers ingest the heroin in quantities
up to 1 kilogram.
South American heroin is prevalent in the Tampa Bay area. Sources of supply
are predominantly from Miami and Orlando. The vast majority of heroin in the
Fort Myers area is supplied from Miami and transported overland in multi-ounce
quantities by couriers. Most of the heroin activity in Fort Myers/Naples is
street-level. Heroin is a serious drug problem in the Orlando metropolitan area.
The majority of the heroin in Central Florida is South American in origin, and
Puerto Rico is one of the transshipment points between South America and Orlando.
Heroin trafficking within the Jacksonville area is almost exclusively Colombian
in origin. Heroin is transported from the Miami area via private and commercial
vehicles to Jacksonville for further distribution.
Marijuana
Marijuana, both domestically grown and imported, is readily available throughout
the Florida. Domestic indoor cultivation is a significant industry throughout
Florida. The availability of plant hot houses and large commercial nurseries
allow traffickers ready access to the necessary equipment for indoor grow operations,
particularly in southwest Florida. The Fort Myers RO reports that growers are
aware of federal threshold limits and are growing less than 100 plants per grow
to reduce the risk of federal penalties. Marijuana is imported into the Jacksonville
area from the U.S. southwest border, Canada and Jamaica, by every available
transportation method. The Panhandle region continues to be a transit area for
marijuana from Mexico. Seizures continue along Interstate-10 from trucks, rental
vehicles and trailers traveling east into Florida. Mexican commercial grade
marijuana continues to be brought into the Orlando area from the southwest border.
It is concealed in hidden compartments in passenger cars and large commercial
vehicles, in luggage on commercial air flights or concealed within freight shipments.
Methamphetamine
The Tampa Bay area is the focal point of all methamphetamine distribution and
abuse within Florida. Methamphetamine is transported into Florida, in multi-pound
increments, by Mexican/California drug trafficking organizations based in California
and Texas. Mexican traffickers have become entrenched in Central Florida. The
Mexican organizations make use of this migrant pipeline to move methamphetamine.
Aside from the Mexican organizations, clandestine methamphetamine lab seizures
have taken an explosive upturn in Florida. For FY 2002 there were 127 labs seized,
compared to 28 labs seized for all of FY 2001. For the first two quarters of
FY 2003, there have already been 100 labs seized throughout the state. These
clandestine labs tend to be small "mom and pop" operations, but taken
as a whole they represent a growing danger. The trafficking of methamphetamine
has increased considerably in the Jacksonville area. As in other areas of the
state, labs were small but highly toxic. Many were found in hotel rooms and
trucks. Investigations conducted in Pensacola indicate that out-of state methamphetamine
manufacturers seek precursor chemicals in northwest Florida. Methamphetamine
produced in super labs from Texas and California transits the area along the
Interstate-10 corridor. The abuse of crystal methamphetamine is also a problem.
The Southeast Regional Lab (SERL) reports that crystal methamphetamine averages
above 80% in purity and is showing up in South Florida clubs, where users are
known to mix usage with MDMA. There has also been a significant increase in
crystal methamphetamine use within the homosexual community in South Florida,
specifically Fort Lauderdale. Intelligence has also indicated that Mexican-produced
crystal methamphetamine is distributed in South Florida via California. The
primary distribution method utilized by these organizations has been parcel
delivery. Methamphetamine abuse continues to increase throughout the central
and northern parts of the state. Methamphetamine abuse in northwest Florida
is increasing. Methamphetamine abuse also continues to rise in the Orlando area,
and has been commensurate with an increase in the number of clandestine laboratories
seized in the area.
Florida Drug and Alcohol NewsJacksonville, Florida Police Make Multiple Arrests After Uncovering Drug Trafficking
Ring
Police Use A Yearlong Undercover Operation To Bust Drug Ring
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA -- The Jacksonville, Florida Sheriff's Office announced
Thursday they arrested 11 suspects in connection with a drug trafficking ring
they say was funneling cocaine from California, Ecstasy pills from South Florida
and hundreds of pounds of marijuana to street-level dealers in Jacksonville,
Florida.
Police said they arrested Russell Farrell, Andrew Maxwell, David Chamberlain,
Frederick Beatty, Maxwell Beatty, Roberto Raphael, Michelle Highsmith, William
Highsmith, Joseph Lambert, Lewis Lonnie, and another person whose name has not
been released.
Fifteen more suspects are being sought.
Florida Police posing as corrupt officers launched what they call Operation
LA Express to take the group of suspected drug traffickers off the streets.
The man Florida police have identified as the head of the operation, Russell
Farrell, ran a telecommunications business in West Jacksonville, Florida called
All American Communications. Florida police said it was probably a front to
hide his illegal activities.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement told Channel 4 the investigation
started last summer when an informant gave the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
the name of a marijuana and Ecstasy dealer. A year long investigation uncovered
the rest of the drug trafficking ring.
Florida police have confiscated cash, cocaine, Ecstasy, vehicles and other
items.
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