Cocaine

Treatment admission data indicate that the level of cocaine abuse is relatively stable; however, DEA reporting indicates that crack cocaine abuse is rapidly increasing in southern and central Maine. According to the Maine Office of Substance Abuse, the total number of treatment admissions for cocaine abuse increased only slightly from 225 in 1995 to 240 in the first 11 months of 2001. (See Table 1 in Diverted Pharmaceuticals section.)

Recent seizure and arrest data indicate that powdered cocaine seizures and cocaine-related arrests have decreased while crack cocaine seizures have increased significantly. According to MDEA data, state and local task force officials seized 4,075 grams of powdered cocaine in FY2001, a decrease from the 5,817 grams seized in FY2000; crack cocaine seizures increased from 197 grams in FY2000 to 881 grams in FY2001. The number of arrests for powdered cocaine and crack cocaine violations decreased from FY2000 to FY2001. According to the MDEA, state and local task force officials made 76 powdered cocaine-related arrests in FY2001 compared with 163 in FY2000 and 37 crack-related arrests in FY2001 compared with 44 in FY2000. In the first quarter of FY2002, powdered cocaine sold for $80 to $100 per gram and was 30 percent to 80 percent pure. Crack sold for $20 to $50 per rock and was 75 percent to 100 percent pure, according to DEA.

Caucasian and Dominican criminal groups, local independent dealers and, to a lesser extent, outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs) are the principal transporters of cocaine into Maine. Dominican criminal groups in Massachusetts, New York and, to a lesser extent, Rhode Island sell cocaine to Maine-based buyers who use private or rental vehicles to transport the cocaine back to the state. Typically, powdered cocaine is transported into Maine and converted to crack cocaine within the state because the penalties associated with crack cocaine possession are more stringent. According to DEA, Biddeford and Lewiston are becoming distribution hubs from which crack is transported throughout the state.

As with heroin, most powdered cocaine distribution in Maine occurs at the retail level and is primarily conducted by Caucasian criminal groups, local independent dealers and, to a lesser extent, OMGs including members of Exiles, Hells Angels, Iron Horsemen, Mountain Men, and Saracens. Dominican criminal groups are the primary crack distributors in the state.

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