›› Arizona: Drug Climate

Arizona is directly north of the Mexican State of Sonora, a major trafficker stronghold. 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
  Throughout history, Arizona has been known as a transshipment state for cocaine that is then distributed thought the United States. Throughout Phoenix and Tucson, crack cocaine remains widely available and easily attainable.
• Heroin
  Mexican black tar heroin and brown powder heroin are frequently encountered in Arizona. Throughout 2004, the price of heroin in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area decreased by approximately 40 percent, which indicated an abundance of available heroin. During the last 2 years, purity levels of retail level heroin have increased approximately 7 percent. A current trend encountered by the Phoenix Division is the increasing presence of heroin in our public schools. Over the past few years, Arizona has been witnessing a steady increase in the abuse of OxyContin. Oxycodone products are opiate agonists, like heroin and methadone. They are commonly prescribed to cancer patients, patients with chronic back pain, and patients recovering from surgery. Of these, OxyContin is heavily abused because it is available in high does and when ingested, it produces an intense high similar to heroin.
  
• Meth
  There are two types of methamphetamine available in Arizona, Mexican-produced and locally produced methamphetamine. Mexican-produced methamphetamine is the most predominant type encountered in the state and is frequently smuggled across the Southwest Border (SWB) where it transits through Arizona. The locally produced methamphetamine originates from independently owned and operated laboratories that are responsible for yielding small quantities for local consumption. Both threat areas impact Arizona’s borders, cities, and suburbs and each pose their own unique challenge to law enforcement and our communities. Arizona serves as a major distribution hub, staging area, and transshipment point for Mexican methamphetamine smuggled across the SWB destined for domestic cities throughout the U.S., specifically Midwest cities.
• Club Drugs
  The availability of club drugs in Arizona remains high. The most commonly abused club drugs are ecstasy, lsd, ketamine, nitrous oxide, and ghb. Among college-aged and younger ecstasy seems to be the predominant drug of abuse.
• 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 between the Ports of Entry as well as abandoned in remote sites along the border. .

 

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