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Drug Situation: South Carolina is an end user, a staging area, and transshipment state for all illegal drugs. There has been increasing evidence of organizational activity extending to major distribution hubs, such as New York City (cocaine and heroin), southern Florida (cocaine and Ecstasy (MDMA)), southern Texas/Mexico (marijuana, methamphetamine, and diverted/illicit drugs), and southern California (methamphetamine, marijuana, and cocaine). Investigations are becoming more complex and cross numerous statewide and nationwide jurisdictions. Cocaine hydrochloride (HCl) and crack cocaine abuse have long endured as South Carolina’s major drug threat; however, methamphetamine poses an increasing threat because of its cheaper cost, relative ease of production, and longer-lasting effects. Methamphetamine manufacturing and trafficking had shown a steady increase from 2002 through 2004 but decreased dramatically after new programs were enacted over the past two years. Interstate 95, “America’s Drug Pipeline,” passes through South Carolina between New York City and Miami, Florida. From Mexico and the Southwest border states, traffickers travel daily on Interstates 20 and 85 to supply Northeastern states with cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, Ecstasy, and heroin. Five major interstates run through the State of South Carolina: I-85, I-26, I-77, I-20, and I-95.

Cocaine: Cocaine trafficking has been detected at stable to moderately increased levels in the major metropolitan areas of the state, including Columbia, Greenville, and Florence. An increase in trafficking along the coast has been noted in recent years, particularly in the tourist areas of Myrtle Beach and Charleston. Cocaine HCl and crack cocaine are readily available and distributed throughout the State. Cocaine HCl is converted into crack cocaine once it arrives in South Carolina. Mexican DTOs dominate trafficking in South Carolina. Traffickers use an array of smuggling methods to include private vehicles, commercial tractor-trailers, and containerized cargo.

Heroin: Heroin is readily available in multi-gram quantities throughout South Carolina and is routinely packaged in "bindles" for distribution. Smugglers use a variety of concealment methods including express mail and land transportation to bring heroin into the state. New York, New Jersey, and Mexico are the most common sources for heroin distribution in South Carolina. Although the heroin user population has historically been a limited and stable group generally located in the inner cities, recent information indicates an increasing pattern of heroin use by a younger population in "experimental" or "party" situations.

Methamphetamine: Methamphetamine manufacture and abuse has shown a steady decrease over the past two years throughout South Carolina from 2005 to 2006. Mexico and local suppliers are the primary sources for methamphetamine in the State with Atlanta reported as a source city. During 2005, the adjacent states of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee passed legislation to curb indiscriminate access to over-the-counter cold and allergy medications containing pseudoephedrine to clandestine laboratory operators and their associates, as a means to halt manufacture in their respective states. Despite the South Carolina General Assembly having shelved equivalent legislative proposals, the “Meth Watch” and “Drug-Endangered Children” programs have been an interim deterrent by addressing the immediate and long-term needs of minor children found entangled in their parents’ illicit drug habits.

Club Drugs: Ecstasy (MDMA) is readily available in several cities in South Carolina, predominantly in the areas of Greenville and Columbia, and those cities along the Atlantic coast. During the past year, there has been a significant increase in Ecstasy distribution throughout the state with traffickers based out of Columbia distributing a significant portion of the Ecstasy sold. Recent data indicates that Atlanta, Georgia, has become a significant hub for MDMA distribution in South Carolina. Law enforcement agencies are attempting to infiltrate organizations distributing Ecstasy, but the cost of Ecstasy currently available on the street is hampering their efforts.

Marijuana: Marijuana, the most prevalent illegal drug of abuse in South Carolina, primarily comes from Mexico. Traffickers use vehicles, tractor-trailers, commercial air, buses, trains, and commercial express parcel services to import marijuana from Mexico through California. Members of the South Carolina National Guard and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) routinely eradicate small patches of outdoor marijuana. A smaller percentage is locally grown. The Domestic Cannabis Eradication and Suppression Program (DCE/SP) reports seizures and arrest statistics.

Other Drugs: There have been increasing incidents of LSD distribution and abuse, as well as incidents of Rohypnol and Ketamine appearing in nightclubs in those communities along the Atlantic coast and upstate.

Pharmaceutical Diversion: Current investigations indicate that diversion of OxyContin®, hydrocodone products (such as Vicodin®), and pseudoephedrine continues to be a problem in South Carolina. Primary methods of diversion being reported are illegal sale and distribution by health care professionals and workers, and “doctor shopping” (going to a number of doctors to obtain prescriptions for a controlled pharmaceutical). Methadone, benzodiazepines, MS Contin®, and fentanyl were also identified as being among the most commonly abused and diverted pharmaceuticals in South Carolina. According to investigations by the Columbia DO Diversion Group, OxyContin, Methadone, Fentanyl and Hydrocodone pose the greatest concerns. These Schedule II and III drugs are usually taken in combination with benzodiazepines and Soma, a non-controlled drug that is highly abused. A synthetic drug, 3, 4 methylenehydroxymethamphetamine, MDMA (a.k.a. Ecstasy) is readily available throughout South Carolina, predominantly in Greenville and cities along the State’s coastal area.

Money Laundering: Drug proceeds are usually moved by commercial tractor-trailers and privately owned vehicles. These vehicles are frequently equipped with special electronically controlled compartments. Money transfers, vehicle and real estate purchases, clothing stores, and details shops are all part of the process of laundering money throughout the State.

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 six MET deployments in the State of South Carolina since the inception of the program: Greenville, Dillon, North Charleston, Orangeburg, and Spartanburg (2).

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 1 deployment in the U.S. Virgin Islands, resulting in 671 arrests. There have been no RET deployments in South Carolina.

More information about the Atlanta Division Office.

Sources

Factsheet last updated: 2/2007