U.S. Department of Justice
National Drug Intelligence Center
Rocky Mountain HIDTA Drug Market Analysis 2010
June 2010

Abuse

Methamphetamine is abused at very high levels throughout the HIDTA region, particularly in Utah and Colorado. The abuser population severely strains the resources of public health departments, treatment centers, and social services agencies as they attempt to address methamphetamine-related domestic violence, child abuse, and child neglect. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Treatment Episode Data Set, the number of treatment admissions for amphetamine/methamphetamine in Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming declined approximately 16 percent from 11,179 in 2007 to 9,429 in 2008 (the latest available data). Despite declining treatment admissions, methamphetamine-related admissions remain significantly higher than admissions for most other drugs, except marijuana. (See Table 3.) Public health officials report that methamphetamine's highly addictive nature requires longer treatment programs and that these programs require considerable funding. Additionally, high recidivism rates among methamphetamine addicts place additional burdens on public health, law enforcement, and prison officials.

Table 3. Drug-Related Treatment Admissions to Publicly Funded Facilities in Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming, 2008

Source: Treatment Episode Data Set.

Heroin-related treatment admissions to publicly funded facilities increased almost 43 percent from 2,751 in 2004 to 3,921 in 2008 (the latest available data). This increase is largely attributed to prescription drug abusers, primarily teenagers and younger adults, who have switched to abusing heroin because of its ready availability and lower cost. Law enforcement authorities and public health professionals in Ogden, Orem/Provo, Salt Lake City, and St. George, Utah, and in Evanston, Green River, and Rocky Springs, Wyoming, all report increased heroin abuse in their jurisdictions.

A noticeable increase in CPD abuse was reported in several larger markets and many smaller towns and rural counties, especially those in Utah, primarily St. George, Ogden, and West Valley, in 2009. According to the Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, admissions to public treatment centers for prescription drug abuse increased from 5 percent of all treatment admissions in 2006 to 8 percent in 2009. This increase is due in part to an increase in oxycodone or hydrocodone admissions, which increased from 2.2 percent of all admissions in 2006 to 4.0 percent in 2009.

Cocaine abuse remains at high levels throughout most of the region. Crack cocaine abuse remains a serious problem in many metropolitan areas of the Rocky Mountain HIDTA region. Law enforcement reporting indicates that powder cocaine abuse increased in several cities, including Cheyenne; Longmont, Colorado; and Ogden and Salt Lake City in 2009.

Marijuana abuse is pervasive throughout the Rocky Mountain HIDTA region but poses a lesser concern to public health and law enforcement officials than the abuse of methamphetamine and cocaine--drugs that are more addictive and have a greater impact on treatment costs and crime. Admissions to publicly funded treatment facilities for marijuana increased 12 percent from 10,289 in 2004 to 11,499 in 2008.

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Illicit Finance

Bulk cash smuggling is the primary method used by Mexican DTOs to move their tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds from the Rocky Mountain HIDTA region to the Southwest Border. Bulk cash proceeds from drug sales in the HIDTA region and from other domestic drug markets are consolidated in or near Colorado Springs, Denver, and Salt Lake City and later transported to the Southwest Border area and to Mexico. In 2009, law enforcement officers in the HIDTA region reported the seizure of over $4 million in drug proceeds. The proceeds were usually seized from westbound vehicles en route to areas such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Las Vegas.

Traffickers also launder illicit drug proceeds through money services businesses, structured bank deposits, purchases of real estate and luxury items, and cash-intensive businesses. Some traffickers also use third-party individuals to purchase residential properties in urban areas, secure loans for improvements, and launder drug proceeds through loan payments, investments, and rental fees.

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