Indiana is an active drug transportation and distribution area. The northern part of Indiana lies on Lake Michigan, which is a major waterway within the St. Lawrence Seaway system providing international shipping for all sections of the Midwest. Seven interstate highway systems and 20 U.S. highways provide interstate and intrastate links for drug trafficking, especially with the Southwest Border and California. Highway (automobile and trucking) and airline trafficking are the primary means of drug importation, with busing systems as a secondary means. Mexican criminal groups are the primary wholesale distributors of marijuana, powdered cocaine, and methamphetamine within Indiana.

Cocaine: Powdered cocaine is readily available throughout the state, and crack cocaine is primarily available within the urban areas. Most of the heavily populated areas continue to experience shootings and other acts of violence over drug debts. Mexican trafficking organizations distribute cocaine to Caucasian, African American, and other Hispanic groups.

Heroin: Heroin is not readily available in most of Indiana. Southeast Asian white has increased in the northwestern part of the state. Black tar is beginning to be seen in north central Indiana. Heroin abusers appear to be found in their late teens to early 20’s. Hispanic trafficking organizations transport and distribute Mexican heroin. Southeast Asian white heroin is transported and distributed by Nigerians to African American street gangs in the Chicago area.

Methamphetamine: The influx of methamphetamine into Indiana has increased from year to year. Mexican trafficking organizations are transporting from 15 to 25 pounds at a time with a purity level ranging from 12 to 15 percent. The Mexican organizations are noted for cutting the product 2 or 3 times before distribution. The product is manufactured in Mexico or the southwestern states and transported into Indiana. The local methamphetamine distributors (Nazi Labs) sell a better quality product with a purity of 30-40 percent, but do not produce large enough quantities to support wholesale distribution. The small individual operations of independent entrepreneurs usually produce enough methamphetamine for personal use, friends, and limited sales. Nazi labs, usually constructed in bars or residential homes, produce enough for retail distribution.

Club Drugs: The abuse of club drugs such as Ecstasy (MDMA), GHB, Ketamine, and LSD is not a significant problem, and for the most part, has remained stable. There have been small seizures of 20-30 pill quantities. There has been a slight increase in liquid LSD. The MDMA is produced in foreign countries and smuggled into port cities of the United States and eventually to Indiana.

Marijuana: Marijuana abuse remains a significant problem within Indiana. Marijuana produced in Mexico is transported and distributed by Mexican organizations. Transportation is usually by tractor-trailers in multi-hundred pound quantities. Locally produced marijuana is cultivated throughout Indiana at outdoor and indoor grow sites. The outdoor sites are usually located in farm fields, or near riverbanks. Indoor grows are located in private residences or large barn-type buildings on private land.

Other Drugs: Pseudoephedrine: There have been several reported incidents of gas stations and small stores selling cases of pseudoephedrine to local methamphetamine dealers. Retail stores are reporting increasing instances of people shoplifting and/or making repeated purchases of items used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine.

Oxycontin: The diversion and abuse of pharmaceuticals, especially Oxycontin is a growing threat throughout Indiana. Northeast Indiana has experienced a series of pharmacy armed robberies in which Oxycontin was taken. At present, there are two priority target investigations involving physicians diverting Oxycontin through illegal prescribing.

DEA Mobile Enforcement Teams: This cooperative program with state and local law enforcement counterparts was conceived in 1995 in response to the overwhelming problem of drug-related violent crime in towns and cities across the nation. There have been 348 deployments completed resulting in 14,794 arrests of violent drug criminals as of June 2002. There have been four MET deployments in the State of Indiana since the inception of the program: Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Michigan City, and Hammond. These deployments resulted in 265 arrests and the seizure of 20.7 pounds of cocaine; 403.1 pounds of crack cocaine; .3 pounds of heroin; 131 pounds of marijuana; 1.7 pounds of methamphetamine; 1.9 pounds of Ecstasy; and 110 dosage units of LSD. Also seized were 85 firearms, 13 vehicles, and over $75,000 in U.S. currency and property.

Special Topics: During October 1997, ONDCP designated a single county in northwest Indiana as the Lake County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (Lake County HIDTA). The Lake County HIDTA consists of a single Indiana county.