Product No.

2007-R0813-031

South Texas
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
Drug Market Analysis
May 2007 U.S. Department of Justice

Preface reporting, information obtained through interviews

This assessment provides a strategic overview with law enforcement and public health officials,
of the illicit drug situation in the South Texas High and available statistical data. The report is designed
Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) region, to provide policymakers, resource planners, and
highlighting significant trends and law enforce- law enforcement officials with a focused discus-
ment concerns related to the trafficking and abuse sion of key drug issues and developments facing
of illicit drugs. The report was prepared through the South Texas HIDTA.
detailed analysis of recent law enforcement

VAL VERDE

BEXAR

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D KINNEY

Del Rio
Area of
MAVERICK Southwest Border
ZAVALA South Texas HIDTA

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D
Eagle Pass
DIMMIT
LA SALLE

Laredo

S
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WEBB

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Falfurrias
D
Laredo )
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D
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D
JIM HOGG
ZAPATA Sarita
MEXICO

STARR
WILLACY
Roma "
)
D
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D
HIDALGO

Rio Grande City

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)
D CAMERON
HIDTA County
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)
D "
)
D "
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D
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D Port of Entry Los Ebanos Ferry
Hidalgo Progreso
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D Checkpoint
Los Indios
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D Brownsville

Figure 1. South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

This assessment is an outgrowth of a partnership between the NDIC and HIDTA Program for preparation of
annual assessments depicting drug trafficking trends and developments in HIDTA Program areas. The report
has been vetted with the HIDTA, is limited in scope to HIDTA jurisdictional boundaries, and draws upon a
wide variety of sources within those boundaries.
South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis

Strategic Drug Threat Drug Trafficking Organizations,

Developments Criminal Groups, and Gangs
• The South Texas HIDTA region is a primary Drug trafficking organizations are complex
entry point along the U.S.–Mexico border used organizations with highly defined command-
by Mexican drug trafficking organizations and-control structures that produce, transport,
(DTOs) to smuggle cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and/or distribute large quantities of one or more
illicit drugs.
and methamphetamine into the United States.
Criminal groups operating in the United States
• Mexican DTOs control drug trafficking in and are numerous and range from small to moderately
through the South Texas HIDTA region. Their sized, loosely knit groups that distribute one or
control stems from their marijuana, metham- more drugs at the retail and midlevels.
phetamine, and heroin production capabilities in Gangs are defined by the National Alliance of
Mexico, their sources of supply for other drugs Gang Investigators' Associations as groups or
and precursor chemicals, and their extensive associations of three or more persons with a
cross-border smuggling operations. common identifying sign, symbol, or name, the
members of which individually or collectively
• Methamphetamine smuggling through the South engage in criminal activity that creates an
Texas HIDTA region has increased, despite a atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
decrease in seizures during the past year. South
Texas now rivals California and Arizona as the the U.S.–Mexico border renders the area extremely
primary entry point for Mexican methamphet- vulnerable to drug trafficking and homeland secu-
amine smuggled into the United States. rity-related threats such as bulk cash smuggling,
alien smuggling, border-related violence, gang
• Several Mexican DTOs are engaged in violent entry, weapons trafficking and, possibly, terrorist
disputes over control of smuggling routes entry. The South Texas HIDTA region is also a sig-
through the region. Most violence has remained nificant distribution center and transshipment zone
within Mexico; some, including violence for illicit drugs smuggled into the country from
against law enforcement personnel who patrol Mexico, destined for drug markets in other regions
the U.S.–Mexico border in South Texas, has of the country. The major distribution centers and
spilled into South Texas HIDTA counties. transshipment points in the South Texas HIDTA
region are Brownsville, Del Rio, Eagle Pass,
• South Texas, particularly San Antonio, has
Laredo, McAllen, and San Antonio.
recently emerged as a key distribution and trans-
shipment point for cocaine, marijuana, metham-
Shared geographic, economic, and cultural ties
phetamine, and heroin destined for drug markets
between South Texas and Mexico provide an ideal
throughout the United States.
environment for drug smuggling and other criminal
activity in the South Texas HIDTA region. Mexi-
HIDTA Overview can DTOs exploit the dynamics unique to the
The South Texas HIDTA consists of 14 coun- Southwest Border area to smuggle illicit drugs into
ties along the U.S.–Mexico border and encom- the United States and to launder drug proceeds.
passes one of the principal drug smuggling and The Rio Grande River and vast areas of farmland
drug transportation corridors in the United States. and ranches along the border are easily breached
South Texas HIDTA counties share a 625-mile and exploited by Mexican DTOs that smuggle
border with Mexico, which stretches from Val large quantities of illicit drugs into the United
Verde County to the Gulf of Mexico, representing States. Texas border communities, including Del
approximately 50 percent of the U.S.–Mexico Rio, Eagle Pass, Laredo, Roma, Hidalgo, Rio
border in Texas and 31 percent of the entire U.S.– Grande City, Progresso, and Brownsville, and their
Mexico border. The location of the HIDTA along Mexican sister cities—Ciudad Acuña, Piedras

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 National Drug Intelligence Center

Negras, Nuevo Laredo, Ciudad Alemán, Camargo, Drug Overview

Reynosa, Nuevo Progresso, and Matamoros, Mexican DTOs and local traffickers use South
respectively—create large binational metropolitan Texas as a smuggling corridor, staging area, trans-
areas that drug traffickers use to conceal drug traf- shipment zone, and distribution center for drug
ficking operations. Traffickers also exploit the high shipments from Mexico destined for markets in
volume of legitimate cross-border traffic at the virtually every region of the United States, includ-
eight primary South Texas ports of entry (POEs) ing markets in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan,
created by the bustling border economy. New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, and
Virginia. The proceeds from the sale of these illicit
The extensive transportation network that facil- drugs are often laundered or transported through the
itates commercial trade and traffic across the U.S.– South Texas HIDTA region en route to Mexico.
Mexico border in South Texas creates an environ-
ment for drug trafficking operations. Traffickers Law enforcement officers in South Texas seize
use a combination of land and maritime transporta- more cocaine and heroin annually than law
tion methods to smuggle illicit drugs into the South enforcement officers do in other areas along the
Texas HIDTA region. Overland transportation Southwest Border, including West Texas, New
along the region’s interstates, U.S. highways, and Mexico, Arizona, and California. Large quantities
secondary routes affords drug traffickers various of marijuana and methamphetamine are also seized
transportation means and routes while simulta- in South Texas, ranking South Texas behind only
neously presenting numerous challenges to the Arizona in the quantity of marijuana seized and
region’s law enforcement agencies. Traffickers use behind California and Arizona in the quantity of
private vehicles and commercial trucks and buses methamphetamine seized. (See Table 1 on page 4.)
to smuggle drugs across the Southwest Border. In Law enforcement reporting indicates that metham-
addition to handling the high volume of vehicular phetamine smuggling is increasing and that avail-
traffic, the POEs at Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Laredo, ability of the drug appears to be increasing
and Brownsville also support rail traffic from Mex- throughout the South Texas HIDTA region, despite
ico. The South Texas HIDTA region is also vulner- a decrease in seizures in 2006.
able to maritime smuggling from Mexico. The Rio
Grande River, Lake Amistad, and Falcon Lake (all Illicit drug production in the South Texas
located along the U.S.–Mexico border), and the HIDTA region is minimal and typically limited to
Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), Padre Island methamphetamine and marijuana production as
National Seashore (PINS), shipping channels, and well as powder cocaine conversion to crack. Meth-
bays (all located along the Gulf Coast) provide amphetamine production has declined during the
additional opportunities for drug traffickers. Mexi- past year and is now concentrated primarily in San
can traffickers use a variety of fishing boats as well Antonio. Retail distributors convert powder
as go-fast boats, barges, rafts, and commercial cocaine into crack throughout the South Texas
freighters to smuggle drugs into the South Texas HIDTA region, but most crack conversion occurs
HIDTA region. Drug traffickers typically do not in San Antonio, which now serves as a distribution
use air transportation methods to smuggle drugs center for crack cocaine destined for markets
into South Texas; however, the region contains within an approximate 100-mile radius of the city.
numerous public and private airstrips that could be Limited cannabis cultivation also occurs in the
used by drug traffickers to smuggle illicit drugs in area. Climatic and environmental conditions are
private airplanes. not conducive to outdoor cannabis cultivation
throughout much of South Texas, but traffickers do
operate indoor cannabis grows in San Antonio.

3
South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis

Table 1. Drugs Seized in the United States Within 150 Miles of the U.S.–Mexico Border
in Kilograms, 2004–2006
Cocaine Heroin Marijuana Methamphetamine
Region
2004 2005 2006 2004 2005 2006 2004 2005 2006 2004 2005 2006
South Texas 12,161 12,917 16,337 145 113 185 387,663 264,788 361,494 692 926 483

West Texas 2,912 2,277 1,693 40 24 93 176,671 152,162 131,580 65 103 3

New Mexico 898 296 648 0 6 4 47,595 43,983 46,068 62 36 40

Arizona 3,721 2,888 2,939 120 43 61 350,186 381,399 390,407 1,011 693 485

California 2,492 4,212 5,554 86 42 154 130,874 179,909 159,260 589 1,133 1,671

Total 22,184 22,589* 27,172* 391 229* 496* 1,092,988* 1,022,240* 1,088,809 2,419 2,890* 2,681*
Source: El Paso Intelligence Center, run date 04/11/2007.
*Totals may not add up because of rounding.

San Antonio is the area in the South Texas in South Texas, primarily in the Mexican states of
HIDTA region most affected by the distribution Nuevo León and Tamaulipas, through the use of
and abuse of illicit drugs. The city has experienced “gatekeepers.”2 The January 2007 extradition of
increasing rates of cocaine, marijuana, and meth- Gulf Cartel leader Osiel Cardenas-Guillen will most
amphetamine abuse during the past several years, likely have a minimal effect on drug smuggling
all of which are taxing already stressed law through South Texas. Established gatekeepers in
enforcement and public health resources. Mexican border cities such as Matamoros, Reynosa,
Miguel Alemán, Nuevo Laredo, Piedras Negras,
Drug Trafficking and Ciudad Acuña will enable the organization to
Organizations retain control of cross-border drug trafficking, at
least in the near term. However, The Alliance
Mexican DTOs control the illicit drug market in
launched a violent campaign in 2003 against the
the South Texas HIDTA region through direct ties
Gulf Cartel after the arrest of Gulf Cartel leader
with sources of supply in Mexico and South Amer-
Osiel Cardenas-Guillen in an attempt to gain control
ica, established cross-border smuggling operations,
of the corridor leading to the U.S.–Mexico border in
and expansive wholesale distribution networks.
South Texas; much of the violence has been cen-
From established bases of operation in Mexico and
tered in the Mexican city of Nuevo Laredo. The
through operational cells in Brownsville, Del Rio,
Alliance has so far failed to wrest control of this key
Eagle Pass, Laredo, McAllen, and San Antonio,
smuggling corridor from the Gulf Cartel.
Mexican DTOs smuggle large amounts of illicit
drugs across the U.S.–Mexico border.
Mexican DTOs operating in the South Texas
HIDTA are extremely sophisticated, resilient, and
The Gulf Cartel and The Alliance1 are the most
adaptive to law enforcement actions. Many of these
influential large-scale Mexican DTOs operating in
DTOs, particularly those affiliated with the Gulf
South Texas. The Gulf Cartel, based in the northern
Cartel and The Alliance, possess communications
Mexican state of Tamaulipas, has historically regu-
technology, advanced weaponry, and intelligence
lated drug smuggling along the U.S.–Mexico border
capabilities that rival or surpass U.S. federal, state,

1. The Alliance, also known as The Federation, is a cooperating group of Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) that share resources
such as transportation routes and money launderers. The Alliance was formed in 2003 to counter the Gulf Cartel.
2. Gatekeepers are individuals who manage geographically specific entry points along the U.S.–Mexico border and are responsible for “taxing”
and protecting illicit drug shipments.

4
 National Drug Intelligence Center

and local law enforcement capabilities. Using spe- South Texas Border
cialized communications devices, Mexican DTOs and San Antonio Market
are able to break the encrypted radio transmissions Areas
of law enforcement agencies at the border. Unlim- The South Texas HIDTA region consists of two
ited budgets allow Mexican DTOs to purchase primary drug markets—the South Texas border
assault weapons and military-grade weaponry that area and San Antonio. The South Texas border area
they use to protect drug shipments from rival traf- is a primary smuggling corridor for U.S.-bound
fickers and law enforcement officers. Mexican illicit drug shipments from Mexico. San Antonio
DTOs have also established extensive intelligence has recently emerged as a key transshipment point
and counterintelligence networks on both sides of for cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, and
the U.S.–Mexico border to monitor law enforcement heroin destined for drug markets throughout the
efforts aimed at disrupting or dismantling their drug United States.
trafficking operations. They have even hired private
armies consisting of former Mexican soldiers to han- South Texas Border
dle security and enforcement activities.
Overview
Some Mexican DTOs have diversified their Large quantities of cocaine, marijuana, meth-
criminal activities from drug trafficking to other amphetamine, and heroin enter the United States
profit-generating criminal endeavors. They are through South Texas. Most of these drugs are not
heavily involved in firearms trafficking and auto- intended for local distribution and are transported
mobile theft and are becoming more active in alien to other areas of the country; however, some spill-
smuggling, extortion, and kidnappings for ransom. over distribution does occur in the South Texas
Some of these criminal activities lack a direct drug HIDTA region. Shipments destined for markets
nexus; however, the proceeds invariably support outside the South Texas border area are typically
drug trafficking operations in South Texas. stored at stash locations in distribution centers (San
Antonio, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Houston) pending
Mexican DTOs have established ties with local transportation arrangements; shipments are also
prison and street gangs—ties that provide them transported directly from the border region to their
with even greater leverage over the South Texas intended destination, but to a lesser extent.
HIDTA region. Both the Gulf Cartel and The Alli-
ance use various gangs in South Texas to perform Traffickers concentrate their smuggling opera-
enforcement activities, including kidnappings and tions through three major smuggling corridors
murders. Gangs such as Hermanos de Pistoleros within the region—Del Rio/Eagle Pass, Laredo, and
Latinos (HPL), Mara Salvatrucha (MS 13), Mexi- the Lower Rio Grande Valley. These corridors are
kanemi, also known as Texas Mexican Mafia, and
the main population and economic centers of the
Texas Syndicate have been linked to the drug traf-
South Texas border region and create an environ-
ficking activities of large-scale Mexican DTOs.
ment conducive to drug smuggling and money laun-
dering activities. However, drug traffickers exploit
Mexican DTOs supply local prison and street
gangs such as HPL, MS 13, Raza Unida, Tri-City the entire length of the U.S.–Mexico border in
Bombers, Latin Kings, Texas Syndicate, and Mexi- South Texas as well as the coastal border in the
kanemi with wholesale and retail quantities of South Texas HIDTA region. The South Texas bor-
illicit drugs for distribution throughout South der region encompasses several major land POEs
Texas. Mexikanemi is the most influential. The that provide pedestrian, vehicular, and rail transpor-
gang is based in San Antonio but maintains a net- tation options for legitimate commerce and drug
work of street dealers throughout South Texas. In traffickers. Traffickers exploit the high volume of
addition to receiving drug supplies from Mexican cross-border traffic as well as the existing transpor-
DTOs, Mexikanemi also smuggles illicit drugs into tation infrastructure to smuggle large quantities of
the country from Mexico on its own behalf. illicit drugs into the United States. The South Texas

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South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis

HIDTA border area is also vulnerable to drug smug- Transportation

gling and other criminal activities that take place Mexican DTOs exploit the high volume of
between POEs. The Rio Grande River is easily cross-border vehicular and pedestrian traffic at
breached at a number of low-water crossings by South Texas POEs to smuggle large quantities of
traffickers on foot and in vehicles and by maritime drugs into the South Texas HIDTA region. Traffick-
conveyances along deeper stretches of the river. The ers use crossing points located at and between POEs
South Texas Gulf Coast is vulnerable to traffickers along the South Texas border to smuggle illicit
who use maritime conveyances. drugs. The South Texas HIDTA region comprises
17 border crossings located between Del Rio and
The transportation infrastructure in the region, Brownsville. The Laredo POE is the largest inland
including networks of interstates, U.S. highways, POE in the United States and one of the busiest,
and state highways, facilitates the transportation of handling between 6,000 and 9,000 commercial
illicit drug shipments from the border area to inte- vehicles per day. It is estimated that the Laredo POE
rior drug markets. The Del Rio/Eagle Pass corridor handles approximately 40 percent of all Mexican
is supported by U.S. Highways 57, 83, 90, and 227, exports to the United States. Mexican DTOs rely on
which extend from the border to the interior of overland methods as their primary means to smug-
Texas. Interstate 35 is the primary transportation gle and transport illicit drug shipments into and
route leading from the border at Laredo; US 59 through the South Texas HIDTA region. Traffickers
provides access to I-37, which connects Corpus typically conceal smaller drug shipments in hidden
Christi to San Antonio. U.S. Highways 77 and 281 compartments in private and commercial vehicles,
are the principal transportation routes that traverse while they generally transport bulk quantities in
the Lower Rio Grande Valley. commercial tractor-trailers, concealing them in and
among legitimate cargo, under a cover load, or
Production behind false walls in the trailer. Traffickers also
Drug production in the South Texas HIDTA recruit couriers traveling on passenger buses to
border area is minimal. The ready availability of transport drug shipments from the border area to
large quantities of most major drugs of abuse, such interior U.S. staging areas and drug markets. The
as methamphetamine and marijuana, in Mexico POEs at Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Laredo and those
and in the border region minimizes the necessity to located in the Lower Rio Grande Valley are entry
produce these drugs in South Texas; however, traf- points for drug shipments destined for Austin, Cor-
fickers locally produce limited amounts of meth- pus Christi, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, and San
amphetamine and marijuana and convert powder Antonio. In addition to vehicular drug smuggling,
cocaine to crack. South Texas law enforcement the South Texas HIDTA region is vulnerable to
officers have seized a small number of metham- smuggling by railroads. The POEs of Del Rio,
phetamine laboratories near the border. These labo- Eagle Pass, Laredo, and Brownsville provide rail
ratories were concentrated near Del Rio and Laredo access to the United States from Mexico. However,
as well as in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and the extent of smuggling by railroad is relatively
were operated by independent dealers or outlaw unknown because of difficulties that law enforce-
motorcycle gangs (OMGs). Marijuana production ment officials encounter in inspecting railcars, par-
along the border is negligible, particularly because ticularly their size and number. For example, one
of unfavorable climate conditions. Small quantities train car containing 50 boxcars can carry 5,000 tons
of crack cocaine are converted along the U.S.– (or 10 million pounds) of cargo.
Mexico border in South Texas, specifically in the
Lower Rio Grande Valley. However, most of the Traffickers routinely exploit South Texas
crack cocaine distributed and abused along the bor- POEs; however, they also smuggle significant
der is supplied from larger crack conversion opera- quantities of illicit drugs, primarily marijuana,
tions in Corpus Christi, Houston, and San Antonio. between POEs along the U.S.–Mexico border in

6
 National Drug Intelligence Center

Austin
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Figure 2. South Texas HIDTA region transportation infrastructure.

South Texas. Traffickers easily traverse the Rio Waterway, seaports, shipping channels, bays, and
Grande River, which demarcates the border and barrier islands along the Gulf Coast in South Texas
which, in many locations, can be crossed on foot, to smuggle drugs into the country from Mexico.
in boats, or by vehicle. After shipments are smug- These navigable waterways support go-fast boats,
gled across the river, they are generally loaded into fishing vessels, shrimp boats, shark boats, tug-
waiting vehicles for transport to a stash location or boats, barges, and freighters. Law enforcement
concealed in vegetation until they can be retrieved. officials report that 20- to 25-kilogram bundles of
However, traffickers try to avoid stashing drug cocaine frequently wash ashore along the Gulf
shipments along the river; doing so leaves the Coast, quite likely from maritime drug trafficking
drugs vulnerable to theft by other DTOs or seizure operations in the Gulf of Mexico. Limited law
by law enforcement officers. enforcement resources dedicated strictly to marine
enforcement leave the South Texas HIDTA border
The location of the South Texas HIDTA ren- area particularly vulnerable to maritime smuggling.
ders the region vulnerable to maritime smuggling
across the Rio Grande River and through the Gulf The South Texas HIDTA border area is poten-
of Mexico. Traffickers use fishing boats, pleasure tially vulnerable to drug smuggling by air, but this
boats, and rafts to smuggle illicit drug shipments method of transportation does not appear to be
across the Rio Grande River in those areas naviga- widely used by traffickers. The area contains at least
ble by watercraft, including Lake Amistad, the 156 airstrips, including six international airports.
Amistad National Recreation Area, and Falcon There are also an unknown number of private air-
Lake. Traffickers also exploit the Gulf Intracoastal strips, unregistered airstrips, and flat stretches of

7
South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis

road that could support drug smuggling by air con- now the predominant type of the drug seized in the
veyance. While aircraft appear to be used rarely by South Texas HIDTA border area. South Texas
traffickers who smuggle drugs into South Texas, methamphetamine seizures increased significantly
Mexican DTOs use aircraft to transport bulk quanti- from 2003 (379 kg) to 2005 (926 kg). This amount
ties of illicit drugs from the interior of Mexico to the ranked second only to California (1,113 kg) in the
Mexico side of the U.S.–Mexico border; the drugs amount of methamphetamine seized in 2005. (See
are then generally smuggled across the border in Table 1 on page 4.)
land conveyances.
Distribution
South Texas has ranked first among Southwest After drug shipments have been smuggled
Border areas in cocaine seizures since at least 2002. across the U.S.–Mexico border into South Texas,
The amount of cocaine seized in South Texas has they are often stashed at locations along the border
increased each year since 2004. In 2006 the amount or immediately transported to interior stash loca-
of cocaine seized in South Texas (16,337 kg) was tions. Stash houses are located in Laredo, Roma, Rio
nearly triple the amount seized in California (5,554 Grande City, Brownsville, and other communities
kg), which ranked second. (See Table 1 on page 4.) along the border. For example, in November 2006
The increase in the amount of cocaine seized in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
South Texas is quite likely the result of the increased agents discovered over 17,000 pounds of marijuana
control that Mexican DTOs now exercise over hidden in an underground bunker at a residence in
cocaine smuggling along the U.S.–Mexico border. Rio Grande City. Traffickers consolidate smaller
drug shipments into larger quantities at these loca-
The South Texas area has ranked first among tions and then transport bulk quantities of drugs to
Southwest Border areas each year since 2004 in the cities such as Corpus Christi, Dallas/Fort Worth,
amount of heroin seized. (See Table 1 on page 4.) Houston, and San Antonio. Avoiding law enforce-
The amount of heroin seized in South Texas in 2006 ment while transporting drug shipments from the
(185 kg) surpassed the amount seized in California border area to the interior of the United States is par-
(154 kg) and was nearly double the amount seized ticularly challenging for DTOs. Transportation costs
in West Texas (93 kg). This total accounted for vary depending on the service required. Some trans-
approximately one-third of the heroin seized along portation organizations charge flat fees on a per-load
the Southwest Border. It appears that South Texas basis, while others charge per-pound fees. Transpor-
will remain the primary smuggling corridor for tation fees typically increase once drug shipments
heroin shipments; Mexican black tar heroin and have been smuggled across the U.S.–Mexico border,
brown powder heroin are seized most frequently. again after they have been transported through
checkpoints, and once again when they are trans-
South Texas consistently ranked either first or ported to U.S. drug markets.
second among Southwest Border areas in the
amount of marijuana seized from 2004 to 2006. (See Drug-Related Crime
Table 1 on page 4.) The amount of marijuana sei- The continued use of the South Texas HIDTA
zures in South Texas increased 37 percent from 2005 border area as a primary smuggling corridor often
(264,788 kg) to 2006 (361,494 kg), and South Texas results in high levels of drug-related violence. Much
ranks behind only Arizona in the amount of mari- of the violence can be attributed to the battle
juana seized. between the Gulf Cartel and The Alliance for con-
trol of lucrative smuggling routes in South Texas.
Methamphetamine is increasingly smuggled Murders in Nuevo Laredo remained relatively sta-
across the South Texas border despite a decrease in ble from 2005 (182) to 2006 (178); however, the
seizures during the past year. Area law enforce- number of murders committed in 2005 was the
ment officials report that ice methamphetamine is highest in 10 years. Moreover, law enforcement

8
 National Drug Intelligence Center

officials in Laredo report 27 murders in 2005 and responsible for a high number of treatment admis-
24 in 2006. Although no single cause has been iden- sions in Webb County, where it ranked second to
tified in most of these cases, officials believe that powder cocaine, and Cameron and Hidalgo Coun-
most were drug-related. The level of violence may ties, where it ranked first. These areas also experi-
increase as a result of the extradition of Osiel ence powder cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin
Cardenas-Guillen and renewed efforts by The Alli- abuse problems. Drug treatment providers report
ance to gain control of the lucrative Nuevo Laredo that methamphetamine abuse has increased but
plaza.3 While much of the violence has been con- remains relatively low compared with abuse rates
centrated in Laredo/Nuevo Laredo, areas along the of other illicit drugs. Methamphetamine abuse may
entire U.S.–Mexico border in South Texas have increase further as the amount of methamphet-
experienced drug-related crime and violence associ- amine smuggled through South Texas increases.
ated with this conflict, including areas throughout
the Rio Grande Valley, particularly in Starr and Illicit Finance
Hidalgo Counties, where drug-related extortion, Mexican DTOs bulk-transport most illicit
kidnappings, and homicides have been documented. drug proceeds through the South Texas HIDTA
region. Illicit drug proceeds from across the
Drug-related border violence is also directed at United States are transported to and through the
law enforcement officers. Assaults against U.S. area en route to Mexico. Often the same vehicles
Border Patrol (USBP) agents and sheriffs’ deputies and routes that are used to transport illicit drug
in the South Texas HIDTA border area have shipments from the border area to drug markets
increased. Law enforcement officers in the region throughout the central and eastern United States
have been fired upon while patrolling areas along are used to return illicit drug proceeds to the bor-
the Rio Grande River. Encounters with heavily der area. Traffickers often conceal bulk cash ship-
armed drug traffickers are also common. Drug traf- ments in hidden compartments in dashboards,
fickers wearing military-style clothing and carrying door panels, car batteries, and gas tanks in private
military-grade weapons, including assault rifles, and commercial vehicles to smuggle them across
pose a serious threat to law enforcement officers the border into Mexico. Detection of southbound
along the border. Large caches of firearms, gre- cash shipments is difficult because of the high
nades, and improvised explosive devices used by volume of cross-border traffic and limited U.S.
drug traffickers have been seized along the border outbound inspection resources located at POEs.
in the past year. Increased border security measures Once smuggled across the border into Mexico,
in South Texas, including the deployment of illicit drug proceeds are often placed into the
National Guard troops as part of Operation Jump Mexican banking system. From there the proceeds
Start4 and additional USBP resources, will most may be repatriated to the United States, used to
likely result in more assaults against law enforce- pay for operational expenses in Mexico, or sent to
ment officers along the border. other source countries in Latin America.

Abuse The use of money transmitters is another

Illicit drug abuse along the U.S.–Mexico bor- method that Mexican DTOs use to launder illicit
der in South Texas takes place primarily in the drug proceeds through South Texas. Money trans-
larger population centers of Laredo and those mitters are an attractive and effective means of
located throughout the Lower Rio Grande Valley. laundering illicit drug proceeds. This method
Marijuana remains the most readily available and enables traffickers to electronically, and often anon-
abused drug throughout the border area and was ymously, move drug proceeds to the border area for

3. Plazas refer to specific cities or geographic locations that are used to smuggle illicit drugs from Mexico into the United States.
4. Operation Jump Start involves the deployment of National Guard troops to the Southwest Border to provide support to the U.S. Border
Patrol. The National Guard troops perform support functions and do not have arrest authority.

9
South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis

consolidation prior to their movement into Mexico; Production

the communities of Benita, Brownsville, Harlingen, San Antonio is the primary crack cocaine con-
Hidalgo, McAllen, Rio Grande City, and Roma are version area and distribution center in South Texas.
major South Texas destinations for transmitted Crack cocaine traffickers in San Antonio supply
funds. After arriving in the border areas, the funds retail distributors and drug abusers throughout the
are collected, consolidated, and bulk-shipped to South Texas HIDTA region. Local crack distributors
Mexico for repatriation, after which traffickers either travel to Houston to purchase powder cocaine
often smuggle them back into the United States or purchase the drug directly from Mexican DTOs in
through a variety of methods, including electronic the San Antonio area, where it is considerably
wire transfers and bulk cash shipments. cheaper.

Drug traffickers operating in the South Texas Methamphetamine is produced in San Antonio,
HIDTA region also use casas de cambio to launder but methamphetamine production has decreased
drug proceeds. Casas de cambio are money over the past year. During 2004 and 2005, San
exchange facilities specializing in Latin American Antonio experienced an increase in local metham-
currencies and transactions; however, some casas phetamine production, but that trend appears to
de cambio function solely for money laundering have reversed. According to statistical data from
purposes. These businesses are typically unregis- the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD), 25
tered, are noncompliant with Bank Secrecy Act methamphetamine laboratories were seized by its
(BSA) reporting requirements, and often operate officers in 2006, compared with 34 in 2005.
from temporary locations such as vehicles, tele- According to National Clandestine Laboratory Sei-
phone booths, and trailers. Although these facilities zure System (NCLSS) statistics, Bexar County,
must follow BSA requirements, they often combine where San Antonio is located, is the only South
funds from multiple individuals into a single trans- Texas HIDTA county to report a methamphetamine
action in the name of the facility. This act hides the laboratory seizure during the past 3 years. Law
true identities of the funds’ originators and often enforcement officials attribute the decrease in local
hinders subsequent financial investigations. methamphetamine production and laboratory sei-
zures to recently enacted legislation that restricts
San Antonio Market Area access to pseudoephedrine. The increased avail-
Overview ability of Mexican ice methamphetamine is also a
San Antonio has emerged as a key transship- contributing factor in the decrease of local meth-
ment point for drug shipments originating in Mex- amphetamine production; Mexican ice metham-
ico destined for U.S. drug markets. The city’s phetamine has replaced locally produced
location in South Texas, at the convergence of sev- methamphetamine as the predominant form of the
eral major drug transportation corridors, has solidi- drug trafficked in San Antonio. (See Table 2 on
fied San Antonio’s role as a key transshipment page 11.)
point. Shipments of cocaine, heroin, marijuana,
and methamphetamine are often transported by Transportation
Mexican DTOs to San Antonio, stored at stash San Antonio’s proximity to the U.S.–Mexico
locations throughout the city, and then shipped to border and its location at the convergence of major
drug markets in the eastern and central United domestic smuggling routes have transformed the
States, notably Atlanta and Chicago. Some peel-off city into a key transportation center for illicit drugs.
local distribution takes place, causing significant DTOs operating in the San Antonio area typically
abuse concerns among law enforcement officers specialize in drug transportation and operate net-
and treatment providers. works between the border area and San Antonio.

10
 National Drug Intelligence Center

Table 2. Number of Methamphetamine Laboratory Seizures in the

South Texas HIDTA, 2004–2006
County/Region 2004 2005 2006 Total
Bexar 18 31 11 60

Remainder of South Texas HIDTA region 0 0 0 0

Remainder of Texas 344 138 44 526

Total 362 169 55 586

Source: National Clandestine Laboratory Seizure System,* run date 01/31/2007.
*NCLSS is a voluntary seizure reporting system and may not reflect all laboratory seizures.

Several interstates and U.S. highways converge wholesale and midlevel drug distribution in the city.
in San Antonio and provide access to the city from The gang supplies many local street gangs in San
most areas along the U.S.–Mexico border in South Antonio and operates its own extensive retail distri-
Texas. Interstate 35 connects San Antonio to the bution network. After selling illicit drugs to local
U.S.–Mexico border at Laredo. Interstate 37 runs gangs, Mexikanemi then collects a 10 percent
between San Antonio and Corpus Christi and inter- “street tax” on the profits generated by the sale of
sects US 281 and US 77, which extend to the bor- these drugs. Mexikanemi operates throughout Texas
der at Hidalgo and Brownsville, respectively. San and is actively recruiting members from small com-
Antonio is also connected to Del Rio and Eagle munities around San Antonio and throughout South
Pass by way of US 90 and US 57, respectively. Texas. Mexikanemi members have a propensity for
Mexican DTOs and other drug traffickers continue violence and have been linked to numerous assaults,
to exploit the high volume of private and commer- murders, and shootings.
cial traffic on these highways to transport illicit
drugs from the border area to San Antonio. Multi- Drug-Related Crime
hundred- to multithousand-pound shipments of The distribution and abuse of illicit drugs con-
illicit drugs are transported to San Antonio; some tribute to high levels of property crime and violence
are siphoned for local distribution, but most are that occur in San Antonio. Cocaine, heroin, and
destined for other U.S. drug markets. methamphetamine are the drugs most associated
with property crime and violence in San Antonio.
Distribution Cocaine and methamphetamine distributors and
Several Mexican DTOs have recently relocated abusers commit a variety of violent crimes, includ-
from the South Texas border area to San Antonio, ing assault and murder; heroin and methamphet-
facilitating the development of San Antonio as a amine abusers frequently commit property crimes.
national-level transshipment point for cocaine,
marijuana, methamphetamine, and heroin. Drug Drug-related arrests continue to increase in San
traffickers are also establishing numerous stash Antonio. Arrests associated with all major drugs of
locations in the San Antonio area from which they abuse increased significantly from 2005 to 2006,
can distribute wholesale quantities of illicit drugs according to the SAPD. Marijuana-related arrests
throughout the country, particularly to central and increased 16.9 percent, heroin-related arrests
eastern U.S. markets. increased 7.7 percent, cocaine-related arrests
increased 35.4 percent, and methamphetamine-
The Mexikanemi prison gang, which is based in related arrests increased 35.6 percent. (See Table 3
San Antonio, controls a significant portion of on page 12.)

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South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis

Table 3. Number of Drug-Related Arrests in Outlook

San Antonio, 2005–2006 The role and importance of the South Texas
Drugs 2005 2006 HIDTA in drug trafficking and national-level drug
distribution are likely to increase as Mexican DTOs
Marijuana* 4,083 4,774
assume greater control over U.S. drug markets. As
Heroin 547 589 DTOs based and operating in South Texas continue
Cocaine 2,486 3,365
to expand to these market areas, the amount of
illicit drugs that they smuggle through the area will
Methamphetamine 433 587 quite likely increase, in large part as a result of the
Source: San Antonio Police Department. HIDTA region’s location at the eastern end of the
*Includes felony and misdemeanor arrests. U.S.–Mexico border and its proximity to key distri-
bution centers and drug markets in midwestern,
Abuse eastern, and southeastern states.
Drug-related treatment admissions in San
Antonio increased 76 percent from 2002 to 2005, The effectiveness of recent border security
according to the Texas Department of State Health measures, including the implementation of Opera-
Services (DSHS). Of particular note are amphet- tion Jump Start, the opening of the Laredo Check-
amine/methamphetamine-related treatment admis- point on I-35, and the allocation of additional
sions, which more than tripled between 2002 Border Patrol resources, as well as the extradition
(91 admissions) and 2005 (306 admissions); 2005 of Osiel Cardenas-Guillen, will most likely have a
is the latest year for which data are available. direct effect on the level of violence along the bor-
Increasing methamphetamine abuse rates are quite der and within the South Texas HIDTA region.
likely the result of the increased availability of Mexican traffickers will most likely increase the
Mexican ice methamphetamine in San Antonio. use of violent tactics against Border Patrol agents
and other law enforcement personnel in the area in
Illicit Finance an attempt to frustrate the effectiveness of these
Bulk cash smuggling is the primary method used measures and to ensure safe passage of their drug
by traffickers to launder funds generated from illicit shipments into and through the area.
drug sales in San Antonio; traffickers also bulk-
transport funds derived from drug sales in other The South Texas HIDTA, specifically the port
U.S. markets, particularly from the midwestern, of Laredo, may experience an increase in rail
southeastern, and northeastern United States, smuggling in the next 3 to 5 years. Two of Mex-
through San Antonio en route to Mexico. Bulk cash ico’s primary Pacific coast ports—Manzanillo,
shipments from the U.S. Midwest, Southeast, and Colima, and Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacán—are
Northeast regularly transit the city destined for repa- undergoing expansions to accommodate increased
triation in Mexico. Moreover, in the past year, local container traffic from Asian countries. The port of
law enforcement officers have reported that San Lazaro Cardenas is part of an extensive intermodal
Antonio has become a consolidation point for bulk transportation network that will connect the port
currency shipments from other regions of the coun- with Kansas City, Missouri, via Laredo, Texas. The
try. Traffickers transport smaller bulk currency ship- rail lines connecting these two locations transit the
ments to San Antonio, where they are consolidated Mexican states of Colima, Jalisco, and Michoacán,
at stash locations into larger quantities for shipment three of the major methamphetamine production
into Mexico. areas in Mexico. Once the transportation systems
are fully operational, the amount of illicit drugs,
primarily methamphetamine, smuggled by rail
through Laredo may increase.

12
 National Drug Intelligence Center

Methamphetamine smuggling through South

Texas will very likely continue and may increase.
According to National Seizure System data, South
Texas ranked behind only California in the amount
of methamphetamine seized within approximately
150 miles of the border in 2005 and seized approx-
imately the same amount as Arizona in 2006,
which ranked second to California. Any change in
methamphetamine smuggling trends through South
Texas will most likely be dictated not only by a
growing demand in Texas but also by the growing
demand for Mexican methamphetamine in central,
eastern, and southeastern U.S. drug markets.

13
South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis

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14
 National Drug Intelligence Center

Sources

Local, State, and Regional

City of San Antonio
San Antonio Police Department
State of Texas
Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Texas Department of Public Safety
Texas Department of State Health Services
Federal
Executive Office of the President
Office of National Drug Control Policy
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas
Houston
South Texas
South Texas HIDTA Investigative Support Center
Del Rio Intelligence Center
Laredo Intelligence Center
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Border Patrol
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Department of Justice
Drug Enforcement Administration
El Paso Intelligence Center
National Clandestine Laboratory Seizure System
National Seizure System
Houston Field Division
Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Southern District of Texas
Federal Bureau of Investigation
McAllen Intelligence Center
U.S. Department of the Interior
National Park System
Padre Island National Seashore
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network

15
South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis

U.S. House of Representatives

House Committee on Homeland Security
Subcommittee on Investigations
Other
Houston Chronicle

319 Washington Street 5th Floor, Johnstown, PA 15901-1622 • (814) 532-4601

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