Product No.

2007-R0813-007

Central Valley
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
Drug Market Analysis
June 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 Central Valley and available statistical data. The report is designed
California (CVC) High Intensity Drug Trafficking to provide policymakers, resource planners, and
Area (HIDTA), highlighting significant trends and law enforcement officials with a focused discussion
law enforcement concerns relating to the trafficking of key drug issues and developments facing the
and abuse of illicit drugs. The report was prepared Central Valley California HIDTA.
through detailed analysis of recent law enforcement

Roseville
V
U §
¦
¨80 OR ID

§
¦
¨
99 Citrus Heights
505 Arden-Arcade
CA NV UT
Sacramento
SACRAMENTO

§
¦
¨
Vacaville
Fairfield 5

Stockton
Antioch AZ
SAN Area of
Concord JOAQUIN Central Valley
California HIDTA
Hayward Modesto
Fremont STANISLAUS
Santa Clara

San
Jose
MERCED
V
U99 MADERA

Fresno
Salinas
§
¦
¨ 5

FRESNO

Visalia

TULARE

V
U
KINGS
99

Bakersfield
HIDTA County
Major City KERN

§
¦
¨
250,000 +
Santa Maria 5
100,000 - 249,999
75,000 - 99,999
Interstate Lancaster
State Highway Palmdale

Figure 1. Central Valley 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.
Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis

Strategic Drug Threat Drug Trafficking Organizations,

Developments Criminal Groups, and Gangs
• Indoor cannabis cultivation is increasing in the Drug trafficking organizations are complex
CVC HIDTA region; of particular concern is the organizations with highly defined command-
rising prevalence of well-organized Asian drug and-control structures that produce, transport,
trafficking organizations (DTOs) that produce and/or distribute large quantities of one or more
illicit drugs.
and distribute indoor-grown, high-potency
marijuana. Criminal groups operating in the United States
are numerous and range from small to moderately
• Violent incidents by outdoor cannabis cultivators sized, loosely knit groups that distribute one or
against law enforcement as well as the presence more drugs at the retail and midlevels.
of weapons at outdoor grow sites are increasing Gangs are defined by the National Alliance of
in the region, very likely in response to increased Gang Investigators’ Associations as groups or
law enforcement pressure and resulting successes associations of three or more persons with a
in cannabis eradication efforts. common identifying sign, symbol, or name, the
members of which individually or collectively
• Law enforcement officers are increasingly tar- engage in criminal activity that creates an
geting methamphetamine laboratory operators atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
in the region, resulting in a decrease in the num-
ber of methamphetamine laboratories seized in A well-developed transportation infrastructure
the region. However, methamphetamine pro- in the region provides for the smooth flow of com-
duction in the CVC HIDTA remains at levels merce, which facilitates transshipment and distri-
sufficient for regional- and national-level distri- bution of illicit drugs and drug proceeds to and
bution, as evidenced by the continued discovery through the area. The optimal climate and growing
of large-scale methamphetamine laboratory conditions in Central California that support the
dumpsites, which are indicative of ongoing region’s robust agricultural industry also sustain
super laboratories in the region. highly lucrative outdoor cannabis cultivation oper-
ations run by Mexican DTOs and Asian criminal
• Mexican DTOs have established stash sites in groups. Additionally, the diverse migrant worker
the HIDTA region, particularly in small towns population in the HIDTA region, which is neces-
along the Interstate 5 corridor in the Central Val- sary for Central California’s agricultural industry,
ley. These sites serve as regional- and national- provides a heightened degree of anonymity for
level staging and distribution points for whole- drug distributors and criminal groups operating in
sale quantities of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, the area.
and ice methamphetamine that supply drug mar-
kets not only in California but also in every Drug Threat Overview
other region of the country.
Central California is a primary source area and
a national-level distribution center for illicit drugs
HIDTA Overview produced and supplied by Mexican DTOs and, to a
The CVC HIDTA was established in 1999 to lesser but growing extent, Asian criminal groups.
address the threat posed to the region by illicit Methamphetamine, particularly ice methamphet-
drugs. The HIDTA region comprises Fresno, Kern, amine, and marijuana are produced in wholesale
Kings, Madera, Merced, Sacramento, San Joaquin, quantities in the region, chiefly by Mexican DTOs.
Stanislaus, and Tulare Counties, encompassing over Additionally, bulk quantities of ice methamphet-
28,000 square miles in Central California; approxi- amine, marijuana, powder cocaine, and heroin are
mately 5 million people reside in the region. regularly transported by Mexican DTOs from

2
 National Drug Intelligence Center

source areas in Mexico into the area for regional- Asian Criminal Groups
and national-level distribution. Moreover, in the Asian criminal groups, primarily ethnic Cam-
last year indoor cannabis cultivation has increased bodian, Chinese, Hmong, and Laotian, are preva-
in the region, particularly cultivation at large-scale lent within the CVC HIDTA region; members of
grow sites operated by Asian criminal groups in these groups typically commingle with the area’s
residential neighborhoods throughout the northern diverse Asian community to evade detection by
and central counties in the HIDTA region. law enforcement. Asian criminal groups pose a
moderate and increasing drug trafficking threat to
Crack cocaine and black tar heroin are also dis- the CVC HIDTA; however, the threat remains
tributed in the HIDTA region, but to a lesser extent lower than that posed by Mexican organizations
than methamphetamine, powder cocaine, and mari- operating in the area. Asian DTOs (Cambodian,
juana. The availability of other dangerous drugs Chinese, Hmong, Laotian, and Vietnamese) operat-
(ODDs) and pharmaceuticals has increased over ing in the region typically produce high-potency
the past year in the area, compounding the magni- marijuana at outdoor grow sites throughout the
tude of the problems confronting the region from region. Nonetheless, during 2006 the incidence of
illicit drug trafficking. Asian DTO-operated indoor cannabis grow sites in
the CVC HIDTA region increased significantly,
Drug Trafficking particularly in the northern HIDTA counties of
Organizations Sacramento and San Joaquin. Asian DTOs and
Mexican DTOs and Asian criminal groups are criminal groups in the region distribute the mari-
the primary drug traffickers operating in the CVC juana that they produce throughout California
HIDTA region. Other criminal groups, street together with other illicit drugs, including ice
gangs, and independent dealers operate in the area; methamphetamine (from Mexico and Asia), high-
however, they are generally supplied by Mexican potency marijuana (from Canada), and MDMA
DTOs and, to a lesser extent, Asian criminal (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also
groups. As such, Mexican and Asian traffickers are known as ecstasy) (from Canada and the Nether-
an operational priority for Central Valley law lands). Members of these groups also engage in
enforcement officials, thereby consuming a signifi- illegal gambling, identity theft, extortion, prostitu-
cant amount of law enforcement resources. tion operations, and home invasions.
Mexican Drug Trafficking
Organizations
Production
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups are the The CVC HIDTA region serves as a national,
principal illicit drug producers and distributors in regional, and local source of methamphetamine
the CVC HIDTA region; the influence and the and high-potency marijuana. Mexican DTOs are
organizational threat that they pose to the area are the primary producers of both drugs, operating
unrivaled. Members of these organizations blend in large-scale ice methamphetamine laboratories and
among the region’s large Hispanic population to outdoor cannabis grows in remote areas of the
maintain anonymity and avoid law enforcement region. Asian (including Hmong, Chinese, Cambo-
detection. Mexican DTOs and criminal groups con- dian, Laotian, and Vietnamese) criminal groups in
sistently supply drug markets both in California the HIDTA region also produce high-potency mari-
and throughout the United States with wholesale juana. In fact, over the past year Asian-operated
quantities of ice methamphetamine and marijuana indoor and outdoor cannabis grows in the region
that they produce in Central California. They also have increased in number and scale and now repre-
distribute ice methamphetamine, powder cocaine, sent a significant and growing concern to law
and black tar heroin, which they smuggle to the enforcement.
area from Mexico, to local, regional, and national
drug markets.

3
Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis

Crack also is converted throughout the CVC was connected to a similar operation in southwest
HIDTA region; however, crack conversion is a much Fresno. Additionally, laboratory operators increas-
lower concern and threat to the region than the ingly conduct their “cooks” in stages, transferring
threats posed by methamphetamine and marijuana. methamphetamine in solution from the laboratory
site to a separate processing area to minimize the
Methamphetamine Production loss of the completed product should the laboratory
Small-scale methamphetamine production has be detected.
decreased dramatically in the region, largely the
result of increased law enforcement pressure and Methamphetamine producers in the region have
legislative restrictions on the sale of pseudoephed- recognized that laboratory waste materials are
rine, the main precursor chemical used in metham- valuable evidence to law enforcement in identify-
phetamine production. The number of large-scale ing laboratory operators and laboratory sites. For
methamphetamine laboratories seized in the region instance, dumpsite waste may contain evidence
also has decreased. However, production at unde- such as suspects’ fingerprints or information as to
tected laboratories persists because Mexican DTOs where chemicals were procured. As a result, labo-
in the region have reportedly adapted to law ratory operators in the Central Valley increasingly
enforcement pressure, enabling them to sustain set fire to laboratory dumpsites before abandoning
production levels suitable for regional- and them or use machinery to bury waste materials on
national-level production. In fact, 2006 California the property around the laboratory site as the waste
Department of Toxic Substances Control data show is produced. Such practices cause tremendous envi-
that the CVC HIDTA counties accounted for 26 ronmental damage and result in significant cleanup
percent of the clandestine laboratory seizures, 74 costs. According to the California Department of
percent of the dumpsites seized, and 47 percent of Toxic Substances Control, methamphetamine labo-
the cleanup budget in the state of California in ratory cleanup costs in the CVC HIDTA counties
2006 (see Table 1 on page 5). reached $470,999, accounting for nearly half
(47%) of the $1,011,129 spent by the state of Cali-
In response to increasing law enforcement pres- fornia to remediate methamphetamine laboratories
sure, Mexican DTOs have relocated many of their and dumpsites in 2006. (See Table 1 on page 5.)
large-scale production operations to very rural
areas, typically renting farms or other rural proper- Marijuana Production
ties for extended periods of time. They produce Cannabis cultivation is prevalent and increas-
methamphetamine continuously until the operators ing throughout the CVC HIDTA region. Outdoor
believe it is no longer safe to operate from the loca- plots in the region typically range in size from a
tion; some locations have been continuously used few plants (including those cultivated for medical
for several months. According to the Fresno Meth- treatment under California Proposition 215) to
amphetamine Task Force, some unscrupulous hundreds of thousands of plants cultivated by Mex-
property owners provide all the necessary labora- ican DTOs (the chief marijuana producers in the
tory equipment to methamphetamine producers, region). To a lesser but increasing extent, Asian
who need only bring their own chemicals. In fact, organizations also operate outdoor marijuana grow
in late 2006 a laboratory site that had been operated sites in the region.
continuously by various methamphetamine produc-
ers for approximately 3 years was seized in North Indoor cannabis cultivation in the region
Fresno. The laboratory apparatus, provided by the increased significantly in 2006, since Caucasian
property owner, included three 22-liter flasks and criminal groups, independent dealers, and Asian
mantles capable of producing between 40 and 80 DTOs increasingly moved cultivation operations
pounds of methamphetamine per production cycle. indoors. During the 2006 growing season, the
Further investigation revealed that the laboratory Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression

4
 National Drug Intelligence Center

Table 1. CVC HIDTA Laboratory and Dumpsite Seizures and Cleanup Costs, 2005–2006
2005 2006
County No. of No. of Cost of No. of No. of Cost of
Laboratories Dumpsites Cleanup Laboratories Dumpsites Cleanup
Fresno 7 17 $33,426 4 26 $65,443

Kern 3 3 $13,110 2 0 $3,281

Kings 0 0 $0 0 1 $2,434

Madera 3 5 $15,234 0 3 $7,217

Merced 25 92 $235,081 10 41 $100,692

Sacramento 8 5 $17,801 10 3 $25,609

San Joaquin 14 21 $68,466 21 10 $65,146

Stanislaus 26 95 $265,970 10 75 $166,602

Tulare 3 10 $32,531 8 9 $34,575

HIDTA Total 89 248 $681,619 65 168 $470,999

California Total 327 314 $1,241,500 250 227 $1,011,129

HIDTA Percentage
of State Seizures/ 27.22% 78.98% 54.90% 26.00% 74.01% 46.58%
Cleanup Costs
Source: California Department of Toxic Substances Control.

Program (DCE/SP) reported the eradication of an Forests for eradication of cannabis on National
estimated 2,967,327 cannabis plants from both Forest System lands.
indoor and outdoor grows in California. DCE/SP
cannabis plant seizures in CVC HIDTA counties Asian criminal groups in the area, primarily
totaled 251,841. Of the cannabis plants seized by Hmong, also cultivate cannabis outdoors, typically
DCE/SP in the CVC HIDTA, most were eradicated in commercial agriculture areas. These groups
from grow sites located primarily in Fresno, employ individuals who work in the local agricul-
Tulare, and Kern Counties. (See Figure 2 on ture industry to cultivate the plants on behalf of the
page 6.) criminal group. Asian criminal groups’ cannabis
grows are often commingled with legitimate crops,
Outdoor Cultivation and Asian cannabis growers typically train the
Mexican DTOs typically cultivate cannabis plants to grow low along the ground rather than
outdoors in remote, mountainous areas of the CVC vertically in an attempt to render the plants unde-
HIDTA region to avoid law enforcement detection tectable to passersby and air surveillance units.
and discovery through aerial surveillance. Mexican
DTO cannabis grow sites are commonly seized Indoor Cultivation
from public and National Forest System lands, Caucasian criminal groups and independent
including portions of National Forests that lie dealers appear to be the primary indoor cultivators
within the CVC HIDTA region. In fact, DCE/SP of cannabis in the CVC HIDTA region; however,
data indicate that the Sequoia, Los Padres, and indoor grows operated by Asian criminal groups
Sierra National Forests ranked fifth, sixth, and are becoming increasingly common in the region.
ninth, respectively, among the top 10 National Recent law enforcement reporting indicates that

5
Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis

Roseville 80 OR ID
99 Citrus Heights
505 Arden-Arcade
CA NV UT
Sacramento
Vacaville
SACRAMENTO
Fairfield 5

Stockton
Antioch AZ
SAN Area of
Concord JOAQUIN
Central Valley
California HIDTA
Hayward Modesto
Fremont STANISLAUS
Santa Clara

San MERCED 99 MADERA

Jose

Fresno
Salinas
5

FRESNO

Visalia

TULARE
KINGS
Major City 99

250,000 +

100,000 - 249,999
75,000 - 99,999
Cannabis eradication sites, 2006
(number of plants) Bakersfield
1 - 99
KERN
100 - 999
1,000 - 9,999
Santa Maria 5
10,000 - 19,999

Interstate
State Highway Lancaster
HIDTA County Palmdale

Figure 2. Central Valley California HIDTA cannabis eradication sites, 2006.

Source: Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program.

Asian criminal groups in the region often operate Cloned Starter Plants
several sites simultaneously, working in coordina- Cloned starter plants enable cannabis
tion with associates in cities within and outside the cultivators to select higher-quality plants and
region to facilitate growing operations. Some avoid male-female pollination, thereby raising
groups establish grow sites in several areas in an potential THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol)
attempt to decrease losses from law enforcement content. Cloning a cannabis plant is
eradication efforts. These groups manage their accomplished by simply taking a cutting of a
grow sites independently; however, they often select plant, allowing the cutting to sprout roots,
exchange supplies, share grow methods, and coor- and then planting it as a seedling, thereby
dinate smuggling efforts. For instance, law creating a plant of the same genetic makeup as
enforcement reporting indicates that several of the the parent plant. The use of clones also ensures
large indoor grow sites seized in the CVC HIDTA that the plants have a well-established root
system when planted, thereby increasing the
during 2006 were connected with similar grow
chance of a successful maturation process.
sites seized in the San Francisco area as well as
Cloned starter plants are increasingly being
with grow sites seized in western Canada. grown in California and Oregon and, to a lesser
extent, in Appalachian states, including
Kentucky and Tennessee.

6
 National Drug Intelligence Center

Grow Site Protection Distribution

Violence used by Mexican DTOs to protect The CVC HIDTA region is a national-level dis-
their cannabis grow sites is a growing concern tribution center for methamphetamine and mari-
among law enforcement in California. Cannabis juana produced in the region as well as marijuana,
plot tenders hired by Mexican DTOs typically are ice methamphetamine, cocaine, black tar heroin,
heavily armed and use their weapons to protect ODDs, and diverted pharmaceuticals smuggled
crops. Plot tenders who previously relied upon from Mexico into the United States. Mexican
booby traps placed along trails leading to grow DTOs are the primary wholesale distributors of
sites to thwart law enforcement have become more drugs in the CVC HIDTA region, typically utiliz-
aggressive in protecting their plots and are likely to ing stash sites located at private residences, ware-
use weapons to do so. Over the past year, law houses, and storage facilities in cities and towns
enforcement agencies in California have increas- throughout the region. In fact, law enforcement
ingly engaged in armed standoffs and officer- reporting indicates that since 2005, cities like
involved shootings with cannabis cultivators. Dur- Modesto and small towns such as Los Banos and
ing this time, crop tenders armed with weapons Patterson along the Interstate 5 corridor have
ranging from pellet guns to assault rifles have emerged as regional- and national-level transship-
become less likely to surrender when approached ment points for drugs smuggled from Mexico en
by law enforcement or to hide from passersby, route to drug markets in California and throughout
instead standing guard from above grow sights to much of the nation, including markets in the Great
detect and confront intruders. To that end, DCE/SP Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, New York/New Jersey,
data for California show an increase in the number Pacific, Southwest, and West Central Regions.
of weapons seized from California marijuana erad-
ication sites from 591 in 2004 to 749 in 2005, the Many criminal groups and street gangs in the
most recent data available. HIDTA region distribute illicit drugs at the
midlevel and retail level in their respective areas.
Transportation No group or gang dominates midlevel or retail dis-
The CVC HIDTA is a regional- and national- tribution because of constantly changing dynamics
level transshipment area for illicit drugs destined in the region’s drug trade, including access to
for drug markets in every region of the United weapons and drug supplies. These groups and
States. Wholesale quantities of ice methamphet- gangs typically are supplied by Mexican DTOs.
amine, cocaine, marijuana, and black tar heroin are Drug sales in metropolitan areas take place in
regularly transported into the area by Mexican open-air markets (located on streets and in parking
DTOs from source areas in Mexico (primarily via lots) and in clubs and bars; distributors sell to both
I-5) in private and commercial vehicles. Although new, unfamiliar customers and well-known, repeat
significant quantities of these drugs remain in the customers. Drug sales in rural areas usually take
area for local distribution, many of the drug ship- place at prearranged locations and typically are
ments from Mexico—as well as methamphetamine between a dealer and known or referred customers.
and marijuana produced within the HIDTA—are Law enforcement reporting indicates that distribu-
further transported in private and commercial vehi- tors use cell phones, satellite phones, pagers, and
cles to drug markets outside the state, including other personal communication devices to commu-
markets in Alaska; Arizona; Atlanta, Georgia; nicate with sources and customers. In addition, dis-
Hawaii; Chicago, Illinois; Baltimore, Maryland; tributors often use text messages consisting of code
Minnesota; Montana; New Jersey; North Carolina; words that allow them to communicate with
Ohio; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; South Carolina; reduced risk of detection.
South Dakota; Tennessee; and Seattle and Vancou-
ver, Washington (primarily along I-5, I-80, and
U.S. Highway 99).

7
Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis

Drug-Related Crime California Alcohol and Drug Data System

Methamphetamine trafficking and abuse are the (CADDS) data show that methamphetamine accounts
leading contributors to property and violent crimes for the majority of drug treatment admissions in the
in the CVC HIDTA region. In fact, 20 of the 24 state counties that compose the CVC HIDTA region. (See
and local law enforcement agencies that responded Figure 3 on page 9.) CADDS data from 2003 through
to the National Drug Threat Survey (NDTS) 2006 2005 (the years for which the latest data are available)
report that methamphetamine is the drug that most reveal increasing methamphetamine and marijuana
contributes to property crime and violent crime in admissions, a drop in heroin admissions, and rela-
their areas. Most methamphetamine-related prop- tively stable cocaine/crack admissions.
erty crime, such as burglary, identity theft, and prop-
erty theft, is committed by methamphetamine Illicit Finance
abusers; however, most methamphetamine-related Mexican DTOs regularly transport proceeds
violent crime, including assault and homicide, is from wholesale drug transactions in other regions
perpetrated by members of DTOs, criminal groups, of the United States to the HIDTA region, where
and street gangs in the course of their drug traffick- they are often combined with proceeds generated
ing operations. from wholesale transactions in the region. The
Mexican DTOs then bulk-transport the proceeds to
Marijuana-related violence is also a significant Mexico for repatriation.1 Asian DTOs also aggre-
concern in the CVC HIDTA region, particularly vio- gate drug proceeds in the region and typically
lence associated with protection of cannabis plots. transport the proceeds in bulk to Canada; Asian
During eradication operations, law enforcement DTOs also transfer illicit drug proceeds by elec-
officers have encountered grow sites protected by tronic wire transfer. Proceeds generated from
armed guards and by booby traps such as pipe midlevel and retail sales within the HIDTA region
bombs, barbed wire fences, and bear traps. Law are typically laundered by traffickers through wire
enforcement officials in CVC HIDTA counties also remittance services, money services businesses,
have reported that individuals who grow mari- structured bank transactions, cash intensive “front”
juana—in many cases legally, for medicinal use businesses, the purchase of tangible assets, and real
under Proposition 215—have become the targets of estate fraud.
violent home invasions perpetrated by criminals
seeking to steal marijuana, cannabis plants, and Outlook
grow equipment. The CVC HIDTA region’s role as a regional-
and national-level distribution center for drugs pro-
Abuse duced in the area (ice methamphetamine and high-
Illicit drug abuse levels in the CVC HIDTA potency marijuana) and drugs smuggled into the
region, particularly those for ice methamphet- area from Mexico by Mexican DTOs (ice metham-
amine, are high. Ice methamphetamine is readily phetamine, marijuana, cocaine, and black tar her-
available and typically of high quality. Moreover, oin) will persist as a result of entrenched drug
the ice methamphetamine market in the region is trafficking operations conducted by DTOs and
strong and long established. Nonetheless, high- criminal groups in the area.
potency marijuana, cocaine, crack, black tar heroin,
ODDs, and diverted pharmaceuticals are also com- In the near term—6 to 12 months—the CVC
monly distributed and abused within the HIDTA. HIDTA region will realize an overall increase in

1. Each year Mexican and Colombian drug traffickers operating in the United States bulk-smuggle billions of U.S. dollars into Mexico.
Repatriation—the return of these dollars to their country of origin (the United States)—is often an important part of the money laundering
process for these traffickers. Repatriation of these funds is beneficial to Mexican and Colombian traffickers because it simplifies the placement
of funds into the U.S. financial system.

8
 National Drug Intelligence Center

26

23
16,000

,6

,8
51
14

14
2003

,4
13
14,000
2004
Number of Admissions

12,000 2005

10,000

2
71

44
7,
8,000

7,
2

3
4
70

61
35
6

5,

5,
86
6,000

5,
4,
2
0
97
96

4,000
0
48
2,

2,

2,

2,000

0
Cocaine Marijuana Heroin Methamphetamine
Type of Drug

Figure 3. Central Valley California HIDTA drug treatment admissions, 2003–2005.

Source: California Alcohol and Drug Data System.

the production and distribution of locally produced Violent incidents by outdoor cannabis growers
high-potency marijuana. The increase will be against law enforcement and the presence of weap-
fueled by two factors: the increase in Mexican ons at outdoor grow sites most likely will increase
DTO outdoor cultivation of high-potency mari- over the next year as law enforcement pressure on
juana and local marijuana producers who are outdoor cannabis cultivation increases.
increasingly moving operations indoors to avoid
intensified outdoor eradication efforts and gain Wide availability and distribution of ice meth-
higher profits through year-round production of amphetamine in the CVC HIDTA region will quite
high-potency marijuana. likely result in a continued increase in metham-
phetamine-related treatment admissions and prop-
erty crime, particularly identity theft.

9
Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis

This page intentionally left blank.

10
 National Drug Intelligence Center

Sources

Local, State, and Regional

City of Fresno
Fresno Area Surveillance Team
Fresno Police Department
Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium
County of Fresno Department of Behavioral Health
Delano Police Department
Narcotics Division
Gangs Unit
Fresno County Sheriff’s Office
Kern County
Kern County Sheriff’s Department
Gang Unit
Major Narcotics
Kings County
Gang Task Force
Sacramento Police Department
Sacramento Sheriff’s Office
Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office
State of California
Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs
Office of Applied Research and Analysis
Department of Justice
California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement
Campaign Against Marijuana Planting
Criminal Intelligence Bureau
Department of Public Health
California Alcohol and Drug Data System
Department of Toxic Substances Control
National Guard
Drug Demand Reduction Group
Office of the Attorney General
Secretary of State

11
Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysis

National
Executive Office of the President
Office of National Drug Control Policy
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
Central Valley California
Fresno Methamphetamine Task Force
Investigative Support Center
Sacramento Area Intelligence/Narcotics Task Force
Southern Tri-County Central Valley California HIDTA Task Force
Stanislaus–San Joaquin–Merced Meth Task Force
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Census Bureau
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Office of Applied Studies
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Department of Justice
Drug Enforcement Administration
Diversion Program
Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program
El Paso Intelligence Center
National Clandestine Laboratory Seizure System
Northern California Field Division

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