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Drug Situation: Cocaine and heroin continue to be the primary drugs of abuse in the state of Massachusetts as Colombian and Dominican traffickers dominate the distribution throughout the state. OxyContin® continues to be an extremely popular heroin substitute as well as its use in conjunction with MDMA.

Cocaine: Cocaine is readily available from gram to kilogram quantities throughout the state. New York is the primary source area, with other source areas to include Florida and the southwest border. Cocaine is transported in multi-kilogram quantities via commercial transit, tractor trailers, and vehicles equipped with hidden compartments. It is also imported via mail services. Importers are of Colombian and Dominican origin, with retail distribution among all ethnic groups. Cocaine prices continue to be stable, with slight decreases in purity levels noted. Crack cocaine is obtained from New York, Florida, Puerto Rico and is converted locally as well. African -American violators and street gang members continue to dominate the drugs’ distribution. Abuse remains widespread and crack continues to be reported as the drug of choice within Boston city limits.

Heroin: High quality heroin is available from gram to kilogram quantities throughout the state. Historically, New York has been the primary source area, entering by interstate highway via publicly and privately operated vehicles equipped with hidden compartments. In the past few years, there has been an increase in heroin seizures where the heroin came directly from a source country. The primary suppliers are of Colombian and Dominican origin, with retail distribution among all ethnic groups. Heroin distribution and use occurs throughout the state and prices remain extremely low at both the wholesale and retail level. Abuse is widespread, with continued reports of heroin overdose deaths and incidents attributed to heroin purity levels routinely exceeding 60 percent.

Methamphetamine: Methamphetamine has a limited availability in Massachusetts and is transported into the area via express mail packages from California. Recent seizures reflect the availability of crystal methamphetamine. Methamphetamine is reportedly abused at “rave” parties by young adults between the ages of 18 to 25; however, individuals in their late 30s to early 40s also abuse it.

Club Drugs: In the state of Massachusetts, MDMA and ketamine are readily available. MDMA is found at rave parties, legitimate nightclubs, and on college campuses across the state. The majority of the MDMA seen in the state originated from couriers traveling by commercial airlines or express mail deliveries from sources in western Europe and New York. A number of seizures have involved MDMA originating from Canada. Ketamine has been diverted from legitimate sources such as veterinary clinics and abused at legitimate nightclubs across the state, particularly in the greater Boston area. Ketamine seems to be one of several drugs, along with MDMA and GHB, that are popular in the “rave” scene. GHB is widely available, particularly in western Massachusetts.

Marijuana: Marijuana remains readily available in all areas of the state with the majority of product originating in Mexico or the southwestern United States; however, marijuana of both Colombian and Jamaican origin has been encountered. Personal use quantities of hashish continue to arrive in Boston on flights from the Netherlands and other source countries. The majority of the marijuana is predominantly imported from the southwest border via aircraft, land vehicles, and delivery services. Domestically grown marijuana is found in all areas of Massachusetts, from the extreme western part of the state all the way out to Nantucket Island.

Other Drugs: Oxycodone products continue to be diverted in the state. Percocet®, Roxicet® and OxyContin® are readily available in Massachusetts. Traffickers are also diverting OxyContin® express mail shipments into the greater Boston area. Well organized doctor shopping rings, forged and/or altered prescriptions and diversion from individuals’ prescriptions are the most commonly found diversion methods in the state.

Pharmaceutical Diversion: Current investigations indicate that diversion of oxycodone products such as OxyContin® continues to be a problem in Massachusetts. Primary methods of diversion being reported are illegal sale and distribution by health care professionals and workers, “doctor shopping”(going to a number of doctors to obtain prescriptions for a controlled pharmaceutical), forged prescriptions, employee theft, pharmacy theft, and the Internet. Methadone and Vicodin® were also identified as being among the most commonly abused and diverted pharmaceuticals in Massachusetts.

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. Since the inception of the MET Program, 473 deployments have been completed nationwide, resulting in 19,643 arrests. There have been 18 MET deployments in the State of Massachusetts since the inception of the program: Lynn, Revere, Webster, Springfield, Lawrence, Everett, Fitchburg (2), Southbridge, Greenfield, Holyoke, Framingham, Worcester (2), Boston (2), Provincetown, and Gloucester.

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. As of January 31, 2005, there have been 27 deployments nationwide, and one deployment in the U.S. Virgin Islands, resulting in 671 arrests. There have been no RET deployments in the state of Massachusetts.

Drug Courts/Treatment Centers: Based on information from the 2000 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services, there are 356 substance abuse treatment centers in Massachusetts. There are twenty drug courts across the state.

More information about the New England Division Office.

Sources

Factsheet last updated: 6/2006