Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine distribution and abuse pose a lower threat to New Jersey than the threats posed by other major illicit drugs. The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services does not separately record primary admissions for methamphetamine abuse since there are so few in comparison with other drugs. According to DAWN data, there were no ED mentions for methamphetamine abuse in Newark from 1994 through 1998, three in 1999, and six in 2000. According to DAWN mortality data, there was one methamphetamine-related death in Essex County and none in Morris or Union Counties in 2000.

Methamphetamine is sporadically available in New Jersey. However, the drug is increasingly available in southern New Jersey, particularly in Atlantic County. According to FDSS data, federal law enforcement officials seized a total of 2 kilograms of methamphetamine from 1999 through 2001. In northern New Jersey methamphetamine sold for $8,500 to $20,000 per kilogram, $800 to $1,500 per ounce, and $50 to $80 per gram in the second quarter of FY2002, according to the DEA Newark Division. In southern New Jersey methamphetamine sold for $35,000 per kilogram, $800 to $2,000 per ounce, and $80 to $100 per gram during the same period. The percentage of drug-related federal sentences related to methamphetamine in New Jersey was significantly lower than the national percentage each year from FY1996 through FY2000. (See Table 2 in Cocaine section.)

Most of the methamphetamine available in New Jersey is produced using the P2P (phenyl-2-propanone) method. Law enforcement officials seized at least one P2P methamphetamine laboratory each year in New Jersey from 1997 through 1999 and none in 2000.

Although methamphetamine production currently is rare in New Jersey, chemicals used to produce methamphetamine frequently are diverted from chemical companies in New Jersey to methamphetamine producers and distributors. In January 2002 agents and diversion investigators from the DEA Newark Division arrested the production manager of a chemical company in East Windsor for diverting more than 19 tons of precursor chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine. The company supplied pseudoephedrine and ephedrine to at least 40 methamphetamine laboratories throughout the United States during the past several years.

Methamphetamine is transported into New Jersey from California and southwestern states in tractor-trailers, private vehicles, and airmail parcels routed through package delivery services. Additional quantities are smuggled into New Jersey via private vehicles.

Outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs) such as Breed, Pagan's, and Warlocks are the dominant wholesale distributors of methamphetamine in New Jersey. They usually sell retail quantities of methamphetamine to other OMGs, primarily in the central and southern counties, and in states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and North Carolina. In addition, teenagers and young adults sell methamphetamine at raves.

To Top      To Contents     To Previous Page     To Next Page

To Publications Page     To Home Page