Cocaine Demand

The quantity of cocaine available in domestic drug markets seems to meet user demand in most markets, without observable shortfall. But in recent ONDCP analysis of data from February through September 2005 shows that the purity of available cocaine could be diminishing at the retail level–reflecting decreases in potential worldwide cocaine production and significant increases in cocaine interdiction.

Cocaine Wholesale Markets

Mexican DTOs and criminal groups control most wholesale cocaine distribution in the US, and their control is growing. According to federal, state, and local law enforcement reporting, Mexican DTOs and criminal groups are the predominant wholesale cocaine distributors in the Great Lakes, Pacific, Southeast, Southwest, and West Central Regions, and although Colombian and Dominican criminal groups control most wholesale distribution in the Northeast and Florida/Caribbean Regions, wholesale distribution by Mexican DTOs and criminal groups is increasing.
 
Cocaine and The Mexican/US Border

Management over wholesale cocaine distribution by Mexican DTOs and criminal groups has been increasing for several years and is likely to continue to augment. Cocaine transportation data indicate that most cocaine available in U.S. drug markets is smuggled into the country via the U.S.-Mexico border. As Mexican DTOs and criminal groups control an increasing amount of the cocaine smuggled into the country, their influence over wholesale distribution will rise even in areas previously controlled by other groups, including areas of the Northeast and Florida/Caribbean Areas.

Cocaine in Florida

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New York Field Division reported in 2005 that in some areas of New York City, Mexican criminal groups have supplanted Colombian criminal groups as the primary source of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine. Similarly, the Central Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) recently reported that in some areas of Florida, Mexican DTOs and criminal groups have supplanted Colombian and Dominican criminal groups as the predominant wholesale cocaine distributors and are establishing new distribution networks.