Outlook

Cocaine will remain a significant drug threat to Puerto Rico and the USVI. The location of Puerto Rico and the USVI between drug source countries and the U.S. mainland ensures that the islands will continue to serve as significant transshipment points for cocaine. Further, cocaine will remain readily available and commonly abused in Puerto Rico and USVI. Dominican DTOs and criminal groups will remain the dominant cocaine transporters to Puerto Rico and the USVI due to their extensive and established transportation networks. Colombian, Dominican, and Puerto Rican criminal groups likely will remain the principal wholesale-level distributors of cocaine in Puerto Rico and the USVI. Puerto Rican and Dominican criminal groups and local independent dealers and USVI criminal groups likely will remain the principal retail-level distributors of cocaine in Puerto Rico and the USVI.

Heroin likely will continue to pose a major threat to Puerto Rico due to the availability and abuse of high purity South American heroin. Puerto Rico also will remain a significant transshipment location for heroin destined for the U.S. mainland. Dominican DTOs and criminal groups may increasingly ship heroin along with cocaine in maritime vessels to satisfy increased heroin demand in both Puerto Rico and the U.S. mainland. Colombian and, to a lesser extent, Dominican and Puerto Rican criminal groups likely will remain the principal distributors of wholesale quantities of heroin in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican and Dominican criminal groups and local independent dealers likely will remain the principal retail distributors of heroin. The heroin threat to the USVI most likely will remain low, as the threat is currently confined to the small Hispanic community in St. Croix, and there are no indications that this situation will change.

Marijuana likely will remain one of the most commonly available and abused illicit drugs in Puerto Rico and the USVI. Marijuana produced in Mexico likely will remain the type most commonly available in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican criminal groups will remain the primary transporters of marijuana produced in Mexico. Puerto Rican criminal groups and local independent dealers will remain the principal wholesale and retail distributors of marijuana in the territory. In the USVI local criminal groups and independent dealers will remain the primary wholesale and retail distributors of marijuana.

ODDs likely will remain a low but increasing threat to Puerto Rico and the USVI. MDMA availability and abuse may increase in Puerto Rico, primarily due to the drug's popularity among young individuals. The diversion and abuse of pharmaceuticals in Puerto Rico will continue at current levels. Levels of MDMA abuse likely will increase and diversion and abuse of pharmaceuticals will remain stable in the USVI.

There are no reports of methamphetamine production, distribution, or abuse in Puerto Rico and the USVI, and this situation is likely to remain unchanged.

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