National Drug Intelligence Center   West Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis 2008   May 2008

Distribution

Illicit drugs smuggled from Mexico into the West Texas HIDTA region are typically transported to stash houses in El Paso or Midland/Odessa, where the drugs are consolidated, repackaged, and transshipped to drug markets nationwide. El Paso is the primary transshipment point for drugs smuggled into the western half of the HIDTA region, while Midland/Odessa is the principal transshipment point for drugs smuggled into the eastern half of the HIDTA region. These transshipment points are used by Mexican DTOs to supply significant market areas--particularly the southeastern United States, including Atlanta, as well as other markets such as Chicago, Illinois; Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; and Denver, Colorado. Most drug shipments are transported from the HIDTA region to these distribution centers over interstate and secondary highways. Because Mexican DTOs generally use stash houses in the HIDTA region to store illicit drugs prior to shipment, the investigation and dismantlement of such locations are a major focus of law enforcement in the area. The West Texas HIDTA Stash House Initiative, which targets stash houses in the El Paso area, has been very successful since its inception in 1999. In 2007 the Stash House Initiative resulted in the seizure of 41,325 pounds of marijuana, 145 pounds of cocaine, and $165,402 in U.S. currency.

The amount of marijuana transported through and distributed from the HIDTA is decreasing. According to West Texas HIDTA data, the amount of marijuana seized by law enforcement in West Texas HIDTA counties decreased 22 percent from 2005 through 2007, with the lowest seizure amounts occurring in 2007 (See Table 1.) Despite this decrease in marijuana seizures within the HIDTA, the El Paso POE has become the primary POE for marijuana seizures along the border in 2007. Increased seizures of the drug in Mexico (arising from enhanced counterdrug efforts in Chihuahua) and at the El Paso POE may have contributed to decreased seizures of the drug in the HIDTA.

Table 1. Drug Seizures in the West Texas HIDTA, 2005-2007, in Kilograms*

Source: West Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.
* Seizures reported by the West Texas HIDTA include seizures by federal, state, and local agencies.

The amount of cocaine smuggled through and from the HIDTA region has decreased. According to HIDTA data, the amount of cocaine seized by law enforcement in HIDTA counties decreased 40 percent from 2005 through 2007; a notable decrease occurred from 2006 to 2007. (See Table 1.) Law enforcement reporting indicates that a temporary suspension of cocaine shipments by a cartel operating in the El Paso/Juárez plaza occurred in 2007. This suspension is believed to have occurred because the organization implementing the suspension wanted to make sure that all cocaine shipments were being "taxed"; anyone moving the drug through the plaza was an authorized transporter of the drug; and the organization had the allegiance of corrupt law enforcement and government officials in the plaza prior to smuggling the drug in order to minimize loss from Mexican law enforcement seizures. Additionally, during 2007 law enforcement reporting indicated a shortage in cocaine availability in several U.S. markets. This shortage was attributed to large cocaine seizures in transit toward the United States; law enforcement efforts against prominent Mexican DTOs; violent conflicts between competing Mexican DTOs as well as DTOs and Mexican military and law enforcement personnel; increasing seizures in Mexico; and increased smuggling of the drug to Europe. It is likely that the flow of cocaine through the West Texas HIDTA in 2007 was further affected by these factors.

Heroin trafficking to and from the HIDTA region decreased overall from 2005 through 2007. According to West Texas HIDTA data, heroin seizures decreased 5 percent overall during this time frame, peaking at 101 kilograms in 2006. (See Table 1.) Several large seizures by CBP accounted for the high level of heroin seized in 2006. Heroin production estimates indicate that production in Mexico increased from 8.6 metric tons in 2004 to 12.7 metric tons in 2006, the latest data available. This increase quite likely played a factor in increased flow of the drug into the HIDTA in 2006. Additionally, in 2007 increased drug enforcement efforts by Mexican military and law enforcement personnel led to more seizures of the drug as well as the eradication of more poppy crops, affecting the amount of heroin smuggled into the West Texas HIDTA.

Methamphetamine seizures in the HIDTA region decreased overall from 2005 through 2007, indicating a decreased flow of the drug from Mexico into the region. According to HIDTA data, methamphetamine seizures decreased 91 percent from 2005 to 2007, with a large decrease occurring from 2006 to 2007. (See Table 1.) Methamphetamine seizures peaked in 2005 and 2006, quite likely because Mexican DTOs increased ice methamphetamine smuggling into the United States in response to large decreases in powder methamphetamine production that year in the United States. Furthermore, the government of Mexico strengthened precursor chemical control regulations in Mexico and increased drug interdiction efforts, actions that most likely resulted in a decreased flow of methamphetamine through the HIDTA region.

Retail drug distribution in the area is greatly overshadowed by wholesale drug transshipment; however, retail distribution does take place and is often associated with violent and property crime. Most retail distribution in the HIDTA region occurs in El Paso, the largest population center. The level of drug abuse in El Paso, however, is low as a result of low per capita earnings and the lack of an inner city in which open-air markets can be established. Limited retail distribution does occur in areas throughout the HIDTA, including private residences, parking lots, and nightclubs. Powder cocaine, marijuana, and heroin are the primary drugs distributed at the retail level in El Paso; methamphetamine is available in limited quantities.

Local independent distributors, street gangs, and prison gangs are the primary retail-level drug distributors operating in the HIDTA region. According to law enforcement reporting, 500 street gangs and 20 prison gangs are involved to varying degrees in retail drug distribution. For instance, Barrio Azteca controls cocaine, heroin, and marijuana distribution in El Paso. Because of its connections to Mexican DTOs operating in the El Paso/Juárez plaza, Barrio Azteca has a direct source of supply for heroin and other illicit drugs. However, the gang's activities have been limited as a result of a "safe zone" injunction initiated in 2003 that prohibits its members from being on the street after dark.⁹ In the coming year, Barrio Azteca's activities may be further limited as a result of the recent arrest and indictment of several of the gang's key members.

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Drug-Related Crime

Violent crime in the West Texas HIDTA is largely the result of large-scale drug trafficking through the region. Mexican DTOs operating in the West Texas HIDTA region are violent, powerful, well-financed organizations. These DTOs have intelligence, weaponry, and communication capabilities that they use against each other as well as against U.S. law enforcement. The capabilities and violent tendencies of these sophisticated organizations are a significant challenge for law enforcement officials at the West Texas-Mexico border, particularly since the resources of Mexican DTOs often surpass those of law enforcement.

Violence in Juárez, particularly against law enforcement, has increased substantially since the beginning of 2007. As a result of this increase in violent crime, the government of Mexico has increased military and law enforcement presence in the city. Mexican military presence in Juárez will probably cause the rate of drug-related violence to increase--traffickers view this measure as a threat to their smuggling activities. This violence could spill into the HIDTA region, since DTOs may more readily confront law enforcement officers in the United States who seek to disrupt these DTOs' smuggling operations. Violence has extended into the HIDTA region in the past when traffickers felt pressure from U.S. law enforcement. For example, a number of armed encounters between Mexican traffickers and U.S. law enforcement personnel occurred on the U.S. side of the border in 2006. On two separate occasions heavily armed units of traffickers appeared on the banks of the Rio Grande River east of El Paso during smuggling attempts, preventing law enforcement officers from pursuing couriers, who fled across the border into Mexico. Although these confrontations did not escalate into violent shoot-outs, U.S. law enforcement officers were prevented from apprehending drug couriers because of the manpower and cache of weapons possessed by Mexican traffickers. It is quite likely that this type of violence will escalate because DTOs are increasingly contending with drug enforcement operations in Mexico as well as the United States.

End Note

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