Distribution - Los Angeles HIDTA Drug Market Analysis

The Los Angeles HIDTA region is the most significant illicit drug distribution center in the United States--Los Angeles is the only U.S. city that serves as a national-level drug distribution center for all four major drugs of abuse--cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine--as well as for the distribution of MDMA and PCP. Mexican DTOs and criminal groups are the primary wholesale distributors of illicit drugs in the Los Angeles HIDTA region. They supply illicit drugs to distributors within the region and to distributors in significant drug markets in the country, including markets in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Miami, New York City, and Seattle, and their influence continues to broaden. Additionally, law enforcement and intelligence reporting indicates that Mexican DTOs and criminal groups continue to contract with Colombian DTOs to transport and distribute cocaine on behalf of the Colombian DTOs and continue to purchase cocaine outright from Colombian DTOs to distribute on their own behalf.

Mexican DTOs use familial ties and long-established relationships to maintain control over distribution groups in and around the Los Angeles HIDTA region. Mexican DTOs supply wholesale quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, Mexican black tar heroin, and marijuana to various street gangs, OMGs, prison gangs, criminal groups, and local independent dealers in the region for further distribution. (See Table 4.) Most drug shipments from Mexico that enter the Los Angeles HIDTA region are intended for immediate distribution to these organizations. When large quantities of illicit drugs cannot be immediately distributed in the region, shipments are often stashed in houses, apartments, and other secured locations in Mexico or in other areas outside the HIDTA region, such as Arizona.

Table 4. Drugs Distributed by Wholesale-Level Distributors
in the Los Angeles HIDTA Region

Distributors	Drug Distributed
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups	Powder cocaine, Mexican black tar and South American heroin, marijuana, and ice methamphetamine
Colombian DTOs	South American heroin, cocaine, and marijuana
Street gangs	Powder and crack cocaine, Mexican black tar heroin, marijuana, ice methamphetamine, and PCP
Prison gangs	Mexican black tar heroin and marijuana
Outlaw motorcycle gangs	Methamphetamine
Local independent dealers	Methamphetamine and marijuana

Street gangs, OMGs, prison gangs, criminal groups, and local independent dealers that purchase illicit drugs from Mexican DTOs and criminal groups distribute the drugs in and outside the HIDTA region. They typically distribute smaller quantities than Mexican DTOs and criminal groups do and often specialize in the distribution of one or two types of illicit drugs at a time. An expansion of street gang distribution operations from Los Angeles into cities such as Seattle, Chicago, and New York--where the profit potential can often be significantly greater--has facilitated an increase in the street gang population within the HIDTA region.

Street Gangs in the Los Angeles HIDTA Region

Street gang members, including those from the 18th Street, Avenues, Asian Boys, Bloods sets, and Crips sets, distribute midlevel quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and PCP to smaller street gangs and independent dealers in and outside the Los Angeles HIDTA region. Most of their drug transactions take place in major metropolitan areas such as Anaheim or Santa Ana; when drug transactions are conducted outside the HIDTA region, gang members and independent dealers from those areas often travel to the Los Angeles HIDTA region to purchase illicit drugs and return home to distribute the drugs. According to gang officials, drug distribution is the primary income for many gangs in the Los Angeles HIDTA region.

Source: Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA); Los Angeles Regional Gang Information Network.

Street gangs are the primary retail-level distributors of illicit drugs in the HIDTA region; they typically distribute powder and crack cocaine, Mexican black tar heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine. (See Table 5.) Street gangs pose a particular threat to the region because of their propensity to use violence to protect drug distribution operations. Mexican criminal groups and independent dealers, Caucasian criminal groups and independent dealers, OMGs, prison gangs, and various other criminal groups and independent dealers also distribute retail quantities of illicit drugs in the region, albeit to a lesser extent.

Table 5. Drugs Distributed by Retail-Level Distributors
in the Los Angeles HIDTA Region

Distributors	Drug Distributed
Street gangs	Powder and crack cocaine, Mexican black tar heroin, marijuana, and ice methamphetamine
Mexican and Caucasian criminal groups and independent dealers	Powder and crack cocaine, Mexican black tar heroin, marijuana, and ice methamphetamine
Outlaw motorcycle gangs	Ice methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and MDMA
Prison gangs	Ice methamphetamine, Mexican black tar heroin, and marijuana