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DEA Offices & Telephone Nos. Bridgeport—203-579-5591 Hartford—860-240-3233 New Haven—203-497-5200

Drug Situation: Heroin has now equaled crack cocaine as the greatest drug threat in Connecticut. Heroin is a significant problem in the suburban areas of the state as well as the urban areas. Located between the drug distribution centers of New York and Boston, Connecticut is an important transit and destination area for drugs. Interstate 95, the major north-south route on the East Coast, extends along Connecticut’s southern shore through Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, and New London. It connects New York City with Boston and continues to the U.S.-Canada border. Interstate 91 extends from New Haven north to Massachusetts, Vermont and the U.S.-Canada border. These interstates intersect in New Haven and form what is known by law enforcement as the New England Pipeline.

Cocaine: Cocaine:Although heroin is now keeping pace with cocaine as the “drug of choice”, cocaine is still widely abused in Connecticut, with crack being preferred over powder. Cocaine Hydrochloride is available in many sizes from gram to kilogram quantities, and especially the “eight-ball” ounce size. Colombian suppliers distributing through Dominican traffickers facilitate the entry of crack cocaine into Connecticut. Dominican traffickers continue to expand their role, becoming more instrumental in acquiring multi-kilogram loads from New York and importing them into Connecticut.

Heroin: Demand for heroin is increasing dramatically in Connecticut. It is easily accessible selling at remarkably low prices and high-purity levels (an average of 70-80% purity by DEA laboratories.) Abuse remains widespread, affecting both suburban and urban areas. Hispanics, specifically Dominican groups are largely responsible for the street distribution of heroin in Connecticut. Colombian and Dominican narcotics traffickers are the primary suppliers of high-quality heroin to the street dealers. Dominican violators usually acting on behalf of Colombian traffickers, serve as mid-level heroin distributors. The heroin is primarily being transported into CT from New York City, usually entering the region via one of the major interstates, in automobiles equipped with hidden hydraulic compartments or “traps.” Throughout New Haven, CT, the demand for heroin in varying sizes and amounts is ever present. Up until recently, the heroin was readily available in pre-packaged bags stamped with logos. Lately, however, bags of heroin have been seized without any logos or markings.

Methamphetamine: Although methamphetamine abuse is not nearly as prevalent in Connecticut as other areas of the country, several methamphetamine labs have been located here. One lab was investigated in November 2002. In January 2003, the Waterbury, CT Police Department alerted the DEA New Haven DO to an individual who was planning on manufacturing methamphetamine. In July 2003, the Windsor Locks PD requested the assistance of the Hartford RO after the police department seized hazardous chemicals and methamphetamine after a motor vehicle stop. Most methamphetamine abusers are teenagers and young adults who frequent rave parties.

Club Drugs: MDMA/Ecstasy is readily available and abused in Connecticut. MDMA has become one of the most prevalent controlled substances encountered by law enforcement. It has become a popular drug of choice among college age students and more recently high school teenagers. MDMA is commonly distributed at nightclubs, primarily in metropolitan areas, “rave clubs”, and on college campuses. MDMA distributors travel by vehicle to New York to pick up supplies of MDMA. Criminal groups transport additional quantities of the drug into Connecticut from Canada via the same method. Retail prices for MDMA in CT have remained constant at $20-$30 per unit.

Marijuana: Marijuana can still be effortlessly obtained in all areas of Connecticut. The majority of the commercial grade marijuana available in Connecticut comes from either Mexico and/or the Southwest area of the U.S. Marijuana is readily available in the state of Connecticut for individual use and available in multi-ounce/pound quantities for wholesale distribution through Jamaican trafficking groups. Intelligence gathered through surveillance and confidential sources indicates that Jamaican traffickers continue to receive and coordinate the bulk shipment of marijuana packages to Connecticut from courier services such as the United Parcel Service, Federal Express and the U.S. Postal Service - Express Mail Delivery. Caucasian criminal groups smuggle high quality, Canada-produced marijuana across the U.S.-Canada border primarily via private vehicles and couriers on foot. Couriers on foot typically rendezvous with co-conspirators near the U.S.-Canada border, who then transport the marijuana to Connecticut via private vehicles. A significant increase in sophisticated indoor hydroponic marijuana growth sites have been revealed in the New Haven, CT area. The operations are expertly wired to avoid high-electricity usage detection by utility companies bypassing electric meters or wiring through an alternate locations, therefore evading notification to law enforcement. Additionally, the sites are housed in locations with large liens, preventing forfeiture by DEA. These operations are run by a small, tight-knit group that share technology and growing techniques. Source information indicates the marijuana is sold for prices as high $5000 per pound.

Other Drugs: PCP has been encountered in Connecticut, predominantly supplied by African American traffickers. PCP is most often transported into Connecticut from the southwestern United States and the New York City area through the use of couriers. PCP is sprayed on crushed mint leaves or marijuana and then smoked. Loose PCP-laced marijuana-which often is packaged in a plastic bag--is called “wet” and PCP-laced blunts are called “illy”.

Diverted pharmaceuticals are also prevalently abused in Connecticut. The DEA Hartford, CT RO indicates that OxyContin, Vicodin, oxycodone, Hydocodone, methadone, Ritalin, Xanax and Diazepam are among the most frequently abused diverted pharmaceuticals. The diversion and abuse of prescription opiates such as OxyContin, Vicodin, and Percocet are increasing rapidly. Diverted pharmaceuticals typically are obtained through common diversion techniques including prescription fraud, improper prescribing practices, “doctor shopping” (visiting multiple doctors to obtain prescriptions), and pharmacy theft. Caucasian local independent dealers and abusers are the primary retail-level distributors of diverted pharmaceuticals in Connecticut.

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 two MET deployments in the State of Connecticut since the inception of the program: Bridgeport and Hartford.

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 Connecticut.

Drug Courts/Treatment Centers: Currently there are 9 state treatment facilities in Connecticut.

More information about the Boston Division Office.

Sources

Factsheet last updated: 2/2004

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