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.

2004 Federal Drug Seizures

Cocaine: 3,577.8 kgs.
Heroin: 88.9 kgs.
Methamphetamine: 523.1 kgs.
Marijuana: 312,663.5 kgs.
Ecstasy: 882 tablets
Methamphetamine Laboratories: 71 (DEA, state, and local)

Cocaine: The Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas are major transshipment points for cocaine distribution from Arizona throughout the United States.

Cocaine is shipped from Colombia by air, land and sea to controlled regions in Mexico, where it is then transported to staging areas near the 370 mile Arizona/Mexico border.

Transportation groups aligned with the major Mexican cartels smuggle the cocaine into Arizona typically utilizing commercial trucks, private vehicles, animal caravans and backpackers.

Multi-ton quantities of cocaine are smuggled across the border on a regular basis through heavily trafficked Ports of Entry, as well as between these Ports.

It is common practice for the cocaine to be sent across the border in 20-30 kilogram loads at a time to minimize the loss if a vehicle is searched by law enforcement.

The cocaine is usually wrapped in cellophane and electrical tape or duct tape, and secreted in elaborate compartments built into the vehicles to include these areas: gas tank, dashboard, bumper, firewall, rocker/quarter panels, driveshaft, wheel well, battery, under and within seats, under floor, etc.

Traffickers utilize the vast irregular terrain of southern Arizona and lack of adequate border surveillance by law enforcement in this area to their advantage in the movement of cocaine to staging areas.

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, they simulate the high usually achieved from heroin.

Methamphetamine Labs Seized: 2000=389, 2001=320, 2002=254, 2003=119, 2004=71

Methamphetamine: 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.

The Arizona nexus to these areas is an indicator that the Mexican methamphetamine SOSs are based in Arizona and responsible for supplying trafficking groups throughout the U.S.

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 2004, drug proceeds were seized throughout Arizona with numerous cash seizures made in other areas of the United States that were linked to Arizona.

Passenger cars and commercial trucks remained the most common method of transporting currency, with concealment techniques that included gas tanks, wooden boxes, engine intakes, and aftermarket hidden compartments.

Seizures from air travel continued to increase with concealment techniques that included pants pockets, purses, carry-on luggage, as well as within folded clothing in checked baggage.

Commercial package services such as Federal Express, Airborne Express, etc. were also utilized to move trafficker funds with the currency hidden inside electrical equipment, shrink-wrapped bundles covered with carbon paper and inside packaged books.

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.

Drug-Violation Arrests: 2000=2,217, 2001=1,799, 2002=1,218, 2003=959, 2004=1,087

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, a total of 436 deployments have been completed nationwide, resulting in 18,318 arrests.

As of February 2005 there have been 21 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, Cochise County, Phoenix Violent Impact Project, Peoria, Navajo County and Mohave 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.

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 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 19 tunnels have been discovered between 1990 and the end of 2004.

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.