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DEA Offices & Telephone Nos. Flagstaff—928-226-1659 Lake Havasu—928-855-9496 Nogales—520-281-1727 Phoenix—620-664-5600 Sierra Vista—520-458-3691 Tucson—520-573-5500 Yuma—928-344-9550

General Information: Arizona is directly north of the Mexican State of Sonora, a major trafficker stronghold. Along the 350 miles of border are three principal ports of entry (Nogales, Douglas, and San Luis) and three secondary ports of entry (Lukeville, Sasabe, and Naco). Most of the border area consists of inhospitable desert and steep mountain ranges, which are sparsely populated, infrequently patrolled by law enforcement, and ideal for drug smuggling. Arizona serves primarily as a drug importation and transshipment state. Drug smuggling and transportation are dominated by major Mexican trafficking organizations. These groups are poly-drug organizations smuggling cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin and precursor chemicals.

Cocaine: Intelligence information provided by law enforcement officers as well as confidential sources indicates that the accessibility of both powder and crack cocaine remained stable in the metropolitan areas of Phoenix and Tucson throughout 2003. The nickname “DUB” has been used recently in the Phoenix area when referring to crack cocaine. The Northern Arizona communities as well as the Sierra Vista area experienced a decline in the presence of cocaine during 2003. Cocaine entering Arizona from Mexico is transshipped to areas throughout the United States with the most common destinations being New York, New Jersey, Missouri, North Carolina, Kansas, and Illinois. Pipeline stops in these states indicate the cocaine is usually picked up in either Tucson or Phoenix and driven to the final destination. Markings seen on kilogram cocaine seizures during 2003 include: the word “wimmore”; the letters “A”, “B”, and “XX” with circles around them; the letter “T”; a face with the name “TUTILA”, the marks “////”; and an imprint of a lion.

Heroin: Mexican black tar heroin along with brown powder heroin continue to be smuggled into Arizona both through and between the Ports of Entry. A National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) study conducted in Phoenix during 2003 revealed black tar heroin is the predominant form of heroin abused in the metropolitan area and users are primarily Caucasian and Hispanic. The prescription drug Clonazepam, which is normally used for panic disorders and seizures, is being utilized by heroin addicts under Methadone treatment. When Methadone and Clonazepam are consumed together, it simulates the high usually achieved from heroin.

Methamphetamine: Since the beginning of FY 2003, crystal methamphetamine, also known as “ICE” has dominated street level sales throughout the State. The demand and availability of “ICE” has continued to increase with no signs of leveling off. Seizures of methamphetamine along the Arizona/Mexico border have tripled over the past year; however, this increase hasn’t affected prices which remain stable. Clandestine laboratories in Mexico manufacture crystal methamphetamine in pound quantities and it is frequently smuggled across the border using various methods of concealment. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) has replaced caffeine and niacinamide as the preferred cutting agent because the precursors psuedoephedrine, ephedrine and other necessary chemicals are strictly regulated in Arizona. MSM is not regulated and can be purchased at feed and tack stores, pet food chains, nutrition centers, etc. It adds bulk to finished methamphetamine, thereby increasing traffickers’ profits and stretching the supply. Intelligence indicates “superlabs” in Mexico are now supplying a majority of the high purity methamphetamine in Arizona.

Club Drugs and Hallucinogens: The Phoenix Division participated in an investigation named “Operation X-Out” which focused on identifying and dismantling organizations that were producing and distributing club and predatory drugs. Intelligence gathered throughout this investigation found people dealing ecstasy, cocaine, marijuana, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and prescription drugs out of numerous bars and clubs. Ecstasy tablets, bearing the logos of Yellow Star, Green Spade, Blue Rabbits, and Blue Squirrels have been encountered. While LSD remains available throughout most of Arizona, law enforcement agencies report they rarely encounter mushrooms on the street.

Marijuana: Marijuana remains widely available in quantities up to multi-hundred pounds packaged for delivery. The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement routinely seize hundred pound quantities of marijuana at the Ports of Entry as well as abandoned in remote sites along the border. The use of passenger vehicles to smuggle marijuana across the border is sometimes linked to corrupt U. S. and Mexican officials working as inspectors at the Ports. A large portion of marijuana smuggled into the United States is delivered by individuals known as “mules” who are paid to carry loads on their backs through remote and often rugged wilderness areas. Backpacks are designed from burlap bags used to carry potatoes and sugar, with ropes attached so the bags can be carried over the shoulders. Horses are also used to carry hundred pound loads. Large scale marijuana traffickers utilize tractor-trailers as well as refrigerated utility trailers to transport loads through the Ports. Tucson and Phoenix are commonly used as stash locations until the loads are ready to be sent to their final destination.

Prescription Drugs: Methadone clinics estimate that approximately 15 percent of the drug addiction treatment in the Phoenix metropolitan area is attributed to pharmaceutical controlled substances. The Phoenix Division continues to find that Vicodin, Lortab and other hydrocodone products; Percocet; OxyContin and other oxycodone products; benzodiazepines; and codeine products are the most abused pharmaceutical controlled substances in Arizona. The use of Soma in combination with other analgesic controlled substances, Ultran (tramadol) and Nubain continue to be highly abused prescription-only substances. The primary methods of diversion are prescription fraud through forgeries, bogus call-ins, and doctor-shoppers. The Phoenix Division continues to investigate thefts in-transit to pharmacies and distributors, as well as reports of thefts by employees and robberies of pharmacies. Prescription controlled drugs from Mexico are frequently smuggled into Arizona, and internet shipments of controlled substances from foreign source websites is on-going. Internet websites with prescriptions shipped from U.S. pharmacies are also being investigated by the Phoenix DO Diversion Group in conjunction with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Arizona and Idaho Medical Boards; and the Arizona Pharmacy Board.

Drug Proceeds: During 2003, drug proceeds were seized throughout Arizona and numerous cash seizures made in other areas of the United States were linked to Arizona. The use of motor vehicles remains the most common method of transporting currency, and concealment techniques included: backpacks, purses, socks, pants, wooden boxes, automobile engines, and aftermarket compartments in automobiles. Air travel and commercial packaging services such as Federal Express are also utilized to move trafficker funds.

Other Drugs: Prescription controlled drugs continue to be smuggled from Mexico into Arizona on a regular basis. Hydrocodone, oxycodone, and benzodiazepene products continue to comprise the majority of prescription controlled drugs abused in Arizona. Arizona has begun to see organized groups utilizing computer-generated prescriptions to obtain OxyContin for both personal abuse and distribution for profit.

DEA Mobile Enforcement Teams: This cooperative program with state and local law enforcement counterparts was conceived in 1995 in response to the overwhelming problem of drug-related violent crime in towns and cities across the nation. There have been 409 deployments completed resulting in 16,763 arrests of violent drug criminals as of February 2004. There have been 17 MET deployments in the State of Arizona since the inception of the program: Eloy/Pinal, Bullhead City, Prescott, Lake Havasu City, Sierra Vista, Apache County, Coconino County, Navajo County, Payson, Show Low, Glendale, Tombstone, Cottonwood, Avondale, Maryvale, Scottsdale, and Cochise County.

DEA Regional Enforcement Teams: This program was designed to augment existing DEA division resources by targeting drug organizations operating in the United States where there is a lack of sufficient local drug law enforcement. This Program was conceived in 1999 in response to the threat posed by drug trafficking organizations that have established networks of cells to conduct drug trafficking operations in smaller, non-traditional trafficking locations in the United States. Nationwide, there have been 22 deployments completed resulting in 608 arrests of drug trafficking criminals as of February 2004. There have been no RET deployments in the State of Arizona.

Special Topics: Law enforcement agencies in the Nogales, Arizona area continue to receive information regarding the use of subterranean tunnels to transfer both narcotics and undocumented migrants from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico into the United States. The tunnels usually tie into the drainage system and at least 8 tunnels were discovered during 2003. Gaps in the border fences and open areas with no barriers at all are also used by drug traffickers and others who wish to enter the United States illegally. There is also widespread use of unguarded crossing points between Sierra Vista and Nogales. The Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation stretches 90 miles across southern Arizona along the Mexican border, encompassing 2,773,357 acres. The proximity to the border and the limited law enforcement personnel working on the reservation, make this area a primary transit point for narcotics being smuggled from Mexico into the United States.

More information about the Phoenix Division Office.

Sources

Factsheet last updated: 2/2004

Click here for last year's 2003 factsheet>>