Sources of Meth

Historically, suppliers of illicit methamphetamine in the United States were outlaw motorcycle gangs and other independent trafficking groups. Although motorcycle gangs continue to produce meth and control a share of the market, Mexico-based trafficking groups now dominate wholesale meth trafficking in the United States. These criminal groups have the ability to obtain wholesale, multi-ton quantities of precursor chemicals on the international market, have access to already established smuggling and distribution networks, and control laboratories capable of large-scale meth production.

• Mexican Sources

  The National Drug Threat Assessment 2009 reports that:

  • While Mexico remains the primary source of illegal methamphetamine in the U.S., recent efforts to restrict importation of precursor chemicals ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are having an effect.
  • The DEA is expecting South American countries to replace Mexico as the major source of methamphetamine, while Mexican organized crime will remain the primary distributor.
    
    
• Domestic Clandestine Labs
  • Domestic illicit methamphetamine production decreased dramatically from 2003 to 2007 due to restricted sale of methamphetamine precursor chemicals ephedrine and pseudoephedrine.
  • In 2008, U.S. domestic production of methamphetamine began to increase in response to suppression of production in Mexico.
  • The number of clandestine methamphetamine laboratory seizures have increased from 2007 to 2008. Several states including: Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin have all experienced significant increases in clandestine laboratory seizures.
  • The majority of recent lab seizure have been small operations. Of the 1,605 domestic labs seized through June 2008, only 19 were superlabs with the capacity to produce 10 or more pounds of methamphetamine in a single cycle.
  • The U.S. Department of Justice believes that individuals and criminal organizations are diverting legally available pseudoephedrine and ephedrine products into illegal meth production. This is being done through a process known as "smurfing", were numerous small purchases of retail products are aggregated and reprocessed to yield a marketable illegal drug.
• Individual acquisitions

  Methamphetamine is not usually sold and bought on the streets like many of the other known illicit drugs. Meth users report that they obtain their supplies of methamphetamine from friends and acquaintances. It is typically a more closed or hidden sale, prearranged by "networking" with those producing the drug. Often it is sold "by invitation only" at gatherings or "raves".

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