Methamphetamine Production and Trafficking: Who is Responsible?
Unlike cocaine and heroin, which are rarely produced domestically, methamphetamine is
both imported into the United States and produced domestically. We know that transnational
drug trafficking organizations, and especially those headquartered in Mexico, are responsible for
the importation into, and much of the distribution of, methamphetamine within the United States.
While some of these organizations are headquartered outside of the United States, they actually
operate “super-labs” within our borders. These are often poly-drug organizations which are
served by a vast network of transporters, distributors and money brokers who distribute not only
methamphetamine, but also cocaine, heroin, marijuana and MDMA throughout America.
Although the sheer number of small, toxic laboratories (STLs) found throughout the
United States is greater than the number of super-labs, the latter are actually responsible for the
greater share of methamphetamine being used and distributed throughout our nation.
The most common ingredient in methamphetamine is pseudoephedrine. STLs typically
divert the pseudoephedrine from pharmacies and discount stores. The large, Mexican-controlled
super-labs that make large quantities of methamphetamine for importation and distribution,
however, get much of their pseudoephedrine from or through Canada. My testimony will
address our efforts to work with Canada to deprive producers from easy access to bulk quantities
of pseudoephedrine.
With respect to domestic production, there are essentially four reasons that
methamphetamine is produced within our borders. The first is simply the market phenomenon of
continuing demand as use increases. The second is the ease of attaining information on making
methamphetamine—recipes, techniques, and sources are all easily accessible on the Internet, and
books on the subject can easily be ordered online. The third is the ease of purchasing the
ingredients for making methamphetamine within the United States. The fourth reason is more
subtle. For users and dealers, cooking methamphetamine has developed into a social activity
where methamphetamine users can share information on methods of cooking and using
methamphetamine, who in the “meth world” may be working undercover for police, and what
sort of criminal enterprises, such as identity theft, may be feasible to criminally enable the
acquisition of the ingredients used in methamphetamine.
