Drugs in the United States: North Dakota

State Facts Population: 642,200 Law Enforcement Officers: 1,354 State Prison Population: 1,051 Probation Population: 2,729 Violent Crime Rate National Ranking: 50

2001 Federal Drug Seizures Cocaine: 0 kgs. Heroin: 0 kgs. Methamphetamine: 5.0 kgs. Marijuana: 2.4 kgs. Clandestine Laboratories: 83 (DEA, state, and local)

The trafficking and use of methamphetamine is the primary concern for law enforcement and public health officials in North Dakota. At the present time, no single drug trafficking organization dominates the distribution of methamphetamine. Mexican poly-drug organizations have sources of supply in Mexico, California, and Washington, and transport methamphetamine into North Dakota via privately owned vehicles, Amtrak trains, and Greyhound buses. Smaller quantities of methamphetamine are mailed via U.S. mail and Federal Express. Mexico-based drug trafficking organizations dominate the transportation of marijuana from the Southwest Border to North Dakota. Private vehicles and commercial mail carriers are used to ship small quantities, ranging from five to ten pounds. Local cultivation of marijuana is done on a relatively small scale.

Cocaine: Cocaine, while available in North Dakota, does not pose a significant threat. The DEA Task Force reported 2.9 pounds of cocaine seized in FY 1999. A quarter-kilogram of cocaine was seized in FY 2000, and none in FY 2001. Methamphetamine, often called the poor man’s cocaine, rivals cocaine as the stimulant drug of choice. Prices for cocaine range from $100 to $120 per gram. Mexican drug trafficking organizations dominate the distribution of cocaine. Crack cocaine availability is very limited in North Dakota. While gangs have attempted to gain a foothold in the cocaine/crack cocaine market, aggressive law enforcement efforts during the past two years have virtually eliminated large-scale, organized gangs.

Heroin: Heroin distribution and use have not been significant problems in North Dakota. Heroin trafficking is a low priority for law enforcement agencies in the state. Virtually all of the heroin encountered in North Dakota, mainly in Fargo, is black tar heroin from Mexico.

Methamphetamine: The methamphetamine threat in North Dakota is a two-pronged problem. First, large quantities of meth produced by Mexican organizations based in California and Washington are transported into and distributed throughout the state. Second, meth increasingly is being produced in small laboratories, capable of producing only a few ounces at a time. Because of the extreme rural nature of the state, as well as the state’s dependence on the agriculture industry, there is a high level of use and availability of anhydrous ammonia among the state’s legitimate agricultural community. Farmers use “nurse tanks.” to apply anhydrous ammonia in their fields. This has resulted in increased thefts of anhydrous ammonia—commonly used in the “Nazi” meth manufacturing method. A DEA investigation in Grand Forks, North Dakota, resulted in the arrest of two Mexican nationals and the seizure of over ten pounds of meth. A co-conspirator in the same case was arrested for attempted murder of a police officer and possession of over seven pounds of meth. Another meth case resulted in the arrest of two suspects and the seizure of 10 assault rifles and $10,000 in cash. According to the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC), the number of meth laboratories seized by the DEA and state and local law enforcement agencies has increased sharply over the past few years. Moreover, these law enforcement agencies reported 86 methamphetamine-related encounters involving dumpsites or seizures of glassware and chemicals during CY 2001, compared to 34 in CY 2000, an increase of over 140 percent.

Club Drugs: There have been indications that “Club Drugs” are making their way into the Fargo area in small quantities.

Marijuana: Marijuana is one of the primary drugs of choice in North Dakota. Distribution of marijuana is dominated by Mexico-based drug trafficking organizations that manage the transportation of the drug from Mexico to North Dakota. These organizations utilize tractor-trailers—many of which have sophisticated traps installed—to transport the marijuana from the Southwest Border. DEA Fargo Resident Office investigations reveal that marijuana is increasingly available from local cultivators in addition to the supplies emanating from the Southwest Border. Local cultivation of marijuana is relatively small scale. In 2001, DEA’s Domestic Eradication/Suppression Program reported that a total of 3,860 marijuana plants were eradicated in North Dakota. Ditch weed, initially grown for the hemp used to produce rope during World War II, is abundant in the southeastern part of North Dakota. Last year over three million ditch weed plants were eradicated.

Other Drugs: There is no significant diversion of legitimate drugs to report.

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.

Special Topics: Currently, there are seven Task Force Officers, representing five law enforcement agencies, assigned to the DEA in North Dakota. North Dakota is covered by the Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), along with Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The Midwest HIDTA has established four initiatives in North Dakota: Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Bismarck, Fargo (DEA Task Force), and Grand Forks. The Midwest HIDTA initially was created to concentrate on fighting the overwhelming increase in the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine. Accordingly, Midwest HIDTA funds were restricted to methamphetamine investigations. In 2001, this stipulation was lifted, allowing law enforcement agencies to investigate poly-drug trafficking groups.

Subscription trials to Health magazines and related pubs: Muscle and Fitness Additional Trials: Consumer Reports: On Health Men's Journal Fitness Outside Natural Health

Magazine Shop »