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U.S. Department of Justice

National Drug Intelligence Center

National Drug Intelligence Center

319 Washington Street, 5th Floor

Johnstown, PA 15901-1622

(814) 532-4601

Utah

Drug Threat Assessment

Product No. 2003-S0389UT-001

March 2003
Preface

This report is a strategic assessment that addresses the status and outlook of the drug threat to Utah. 

Analytical judgment determined the threat posed by each drug type or category, taking into account the 

most current quantitative and qualitative information on availability, demand, production or cultivation, 

transportation, and distribution, as well as the effects of a particular drug on abusers and society as a 

whole. While NDIC sought to incorporate the latest available information, a time lag often exists between 

collection and publication of data, particularly demand-related data sets. NDIC anticipates that this drug 

threat assessment will be useful to policymakers, law enforcement personnel, and treatment providers at 

the federal, state, and local levels because it draws upon a broad range of information sources to describe 

and analyze the drug threat to Utah.

Cover Photo © Stockbyte
National Drug Intelligence Center

iii

Utah Drug Threat Assessment

Executive Summary

The production, distribution, and abuse of illicit drugs and the diversion and abuse of 

pharmaceuticals pose a serious threat to Utah. Methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine are 

the most significant drug threats to the state—they are responsible for most drug treatment 

admissions, federal sentences, and drug-related violence. Drugs are commonly transported through Utah en route to other states due to its location between drug sources and 

destinations. Illicit drugs destined for northwestern states from Mexico, southwestern 

states, and California as well as those destined for the East Coast from California often 

are transported through Utah. Mexican criminal groups dominate the transportation and 

wholesale distribution of most illicit drugs throughout Utah. Street gangs distribute most 

illicit drugs at the retail level. Caucasian criminal groups, local independent dealers, and 

outlaw motorcycle gangs also are involved in transporting and distributing illicit drugs in 

the state.

The production, distribution, and abuse of methamphetamine pose a serious threat to 

residents of Utah. Abuse of the drug is increasing in the state, a trend that is fueled by the 

drug’s ready availability. Violence associated with methamphetamine production, distribution, and abuse is a particular concern in the state. Methamphetamine produced in Mexico, Arizona, California and, to a lesser extent, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and 

Washington is available throughout the state. Locally produced methamphetamine also is 

widely available throughout Utah. Mexican criminal groups dominate the transportation 

and wholesale distribution of methamphetamine produced outside the state. Caucasian 

independent dealers, many of whom have joined to form criminal groups, also are 

involved in the production, transportation, and wholesale distribution of the drug in Utah. 

At the retail level Mexican and Caucasian local independent dealers, outlaw motorcycle 

gangs, and street gangs distribute methamphetamine. 

Heroin poses a threat to Utah. Mexican black tar heroin and brown powdered heroin 

are the predominant types available in the state; Southeast Asian heroin is available in 

very limited quantities. Mexican criminal groups, the primary transporters and wholesale 

distributors of heroin in Utah, transport the drug from transshipment points in California 

and Arizona and directly from Mexico. These groups typically transport the drug using 

private and rental vehicles and commercial trucks. In rural areas of the state, Mexican 
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

iv

criminal groups distribute heroin at the retail level, and in metropolitan areas street gangs 

are the primary retail distributors.

Cocaine poses a threat to Utah, particularly because of the violence associated with 

the distribution and abuse of the drug. Powdered cocaine is distributed in both wholesale 

and retail quantities and is available throughout the state. Crack cocaine is available only 

in retail quantities and only in metropolitan areas. Mexican criminal groups transport 

powdered cocaine into the state and serve as wholesale, midlevel, and retail distributors. 

At the retail level street gangs and Caucasian and Mexican local independent dealers distribute powdered cocaine. Some street gangs also convert powdered cocaine into crack 

and distribute the drug at the wholesale and retail levels.

Marijuana is the most widely available illicit drug in Utah, and there is evidence to 

suggest that abuse of the drug is increasing. Marijuana produced by Mexican criminal 

groups in Mexico and California is the most common type available in the state. However, marijuana produced in Utah also is available and typically commands a higher price 

because its potency exceeds that of Mexico- or California-produced marijuana. Caucasian 

criminal groups produce high potency marijuana in the state; they distribute the drug 

directly as well as supply local independent dealers. Mexican criminal groups dominate 

the transportation and wholesale and midlevel distribution of marijuana produced in Mexico or California. At the retail level street gangs, Mexican and Caucasian criminal groups, 

and local independent dealers distribute marijuana. 

The category of other dangerous drugs includes the stimulant MDMA, the hallucinogen LSD, the depressant GHB and its analogs, and diverted pharmaceuticals such as 

benzodiazepines, hydrocodones, oxycodones, and Ritalin. MDMA poses the most significant threat in this category because it is increasingly available and abused in the state, 

particularly in the metropolitan areas of Ogden, Provo, and Salt Lake City. The diversion and abuse of pharmaceuticals represent a significant threat to Utah, and individuals 

of all ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic status abuse these drugs.
Table of Contents

National Drug Intelligence Center

v

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Methamphetamine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Availability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Heroin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Availability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Cocaine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Availability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Marijuana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Availability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Other Dangerous Drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

MDMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

LSD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

GHB and Analogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Diverted Pharmaceuticals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Outlook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Sources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

vi

Note: This map displays features mentioned in the report.

Utah.

80 80

80

84

84

70

70

15

15

15

15

84

89

89

191

191

191

89

6

191

89

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City alt Lake City

Logan

Ogden

Logan

Brigham

City

Farmington Farmington armington

Sandy

Park City

Lehi Orem

Provo

St. George St. George t. George

West Valley West Valley

City

West Valley

City

Moab

Blanding

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City International Airport International Airport Salt Lake City International Airport

IDAHO

WYOMING

COLORADO

NEVADA

ARIZONA NEW MEXICO
National Drug Intelligence Center

1

Utah

Drug Threat Assessment

March 2003

Overview

Utah ranks thirty-fourth in population with 

more than 2.2 million people residing in its 29 

counties. Nearly 75 percent of the population is 

concentrated in Davis, Salt Lake, Utah, and 

Weber Counties. According to the 2000 U.S. 

Census, the population of Utah is 89.2 percent 

Caucasian, 4.2 percent other, 2.1 percent two or 

more races, 1.7 percent Asian, 1.3 percent American Indian/Alaska Native, 0.8 percent African 

American, and 0.7 percent Pacific Islander. In 

addition, 9 percent of Utah residents identify 

themselves as Hispanic or Latino. With a median 

age of 26, Utah has the youngest population of 

any state in the nation and is the only state with a 

median age under 31. 

The state has a well-developed transportation 

infrastructure, and its location makes Utah an 

important transit area for licit and illicit goods 

destined for areas throughout the United States. 

Private and rental vehicles and commercial trucks 

commonly are used to transport drugs into and 

through Utah. Package delivery services and 

couriers aboard commercial aircraft and buses are 

used to a lesser extent.

The highways in Utah are used to facilitate 

the transportation and distribution of illicit drugs. 

Interstates 15 and 84 converge in Ogden and

connect California with Idaho, Montana, and 

Oregon through Utah. Interstate 80, an east-west 

highway, connects Utah with California, Nevada, 

and Wyoming. In addition, I-70 begins at I-15 in 

southwest Utah and links the state to points east. 

U.S. Highways 89 and 191 are north-south highways that traverse Utah and connect it with Canada 

and Mexico through the states of Arizona, Idaho, 

Fast Facts

Utah

Population (2000) 2,233,169

U.S. population 

ranking

34th

Median household 

income (2001)

$47,342

Unemployment

rate (2001)

4.2%

Land area 82,144 square miles

Capital Salt Lake City

Other principal cities Ogden, Provo, Sandy, St. 

George, West Valley City

Number of counties 29

Principal 

industries

Construction, manufacturing, 

public utilities, wholesale and 

retail trade, tourism, 

transportation
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

2

Montana, and Wyoming. Most illicit drugs are transported into and throughout Utah on interstate, state, 

and U.S. highways via private and rental vehicles, 

commercial trucks, and buses. Law enforcement 

officials in Utah frequently seize drugs on highways, 

often as part of Operation Pipeline initiatives.

One international airport—Salt Lake City International Airport—and many smaller airports service 

Utah. Salt Lake City International Airport is the 

twenty-fourth busiest airport in passenger traffic in 

the United States; over 300 flights depart daily. 

Numerous remote airstrips are scattered throughout 

the state. Operation Jetway data indicate that drugs 

have been transported into the state on aircraft from 

California, Kentucky, and Texas; however, drug seizures from aircraft are infrequent. 

Mexican criminal groups dominate the transportation and wholesale distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana 

throughout Utah. Most of the illicit drugs transported into Utah by Mexican criminal groups are 

destined for other areas of the United States. However, Mexican criminal groups also distribute 

wholesale quantities of illicit drugs throughout the 

state. According to law enforcement authorities in 

Utah, the Mexican criminal groups that transport 

and distribute drugs in Utah typically have a very 

structured hierarchy of members and usually are 

controlled by a single family. These Mexican criminal groups distribute illicit drugs almost exclusively to Mexican nationals and usually refuse to 

sell to Caucasians at the wholesale level.

Mexican criminal groups, local independent 

dealers, street gangs, and outlaw motorcycle gangs 

(OMGs) all distribute illicit drugs at the retail level 

in Utah. Mexican criminal groups distribute methamphetamine produced in Mexico, California, and 

southwestern states, powdered cocaine, heroin, and 

marijuana at the retail level. Caucasian local independent dealers distribute much of the methamphetamine and marijuana produced in the state. 

Street gangs are retail distributors of methamphetamine, heroin, powdered and crack cocaine, marijuana, and MDMA. While some street gangs in the 

state are composed of members of one race or ethnicity, many are multiracial or multiethnic. Gangs 

may be defined as African American, Asian, Hispanic, or Mexican even though they have a diverse 

membership. Sureños 13 and Tongan Crip Regulators are significant street gangs in Utah. OMGs distribute retail quantities of methamphetamine and, 

to a lesser extent, other illicit drugs. The most 

active OMGs in Utah are Sundowners and Barons. 

Operation Pipeline

Operation Pipeline is a national highway interdiction program supported by the Drug 

Enforcement Administration (DEA) El Paso 

Intelligence Center (EPIC). Drug seizures from 

private vehicles are reported to Operation 

Pipeline by federal, state, and local law 

enforcement agencies operating nationwide 

along the highways and interstates most frequently used to transport illegal drugs and 

drug proceeds.

Operation Jetway

Operation Jetway is an EPIC-supported 

domestic interdiction program. Drug seizures 

are reported to Operation Jetway by federal, 

state, and local law enforcement agencies 

across the nation at airports, train stations, 

bus stations, package shipment facilities, U.S. 

Post Offices, and airport hotels and motels. 

Sundowners and Barons

Sundowners and Barons are the notable OMGs 

in Utah. Both are linked to the production and 

distribution of methamphetamine as well as the 

distribution of other drugs, but to a lesser extent. 

Law enforcement also has linked the OMGs to 

credit card fraud, gambling, vehicle theft, prostitution operations, and assault. A truce between 

the two gangs has been in effect for at least 4 

years. Barons are closely affiliated with the 

Brothers Speed OMG in Idaho, and Sundowners 

are linked to Hells Angels.

Source: International Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigators 

Association.
National Drug Intelligence Center

3

Utah residents typically abuse illicit drugs at 

rates that are comparable to or lower than nationwide rates. According to the 1999 and 2000 

National Household Survey on Drug Abuse 

(NHSDA), 5.0 percent of individuals surveyed in 

Utah reported having abused an illicit drug at least 

once in the month prior to the survey, compared 

with 6.3 percent nationwide. In many major drug 

categories, Utah high school students report lower 

incidences of abuse than high school students 

nationwide. According to the 2001 Youth Risk 

Behavior Survey (YRBS), the percentage of 

students who reported having abused marijuana, 

cocaine, or methamphetamine at least once in their 

lifetime was lower than the percentage nationwide.

The percentage of federal sentences in Utah 

that are drug-related decreased over the past several years and is lower than the national percentage. According to data from the U.S. Sentencing 

Commission (USSC), the percentage of federal 

sentences that were drug-related in Utah 

decreased from 20.6 percent in fiscal year (FY) 

1997 to 17.2 percent in FY2001. In FY2001 the 

percentage of federal sentences nationwide that 

were drug-related was 41.2 percent.

The total financial impact on Utah’s government from substance abuse is significant. In 1998, 

the most recent year for which these data are 

available, Utah spent nearly $500 million—

approximately $242 per resident—on substance 

abuse-related costs. This accounted for almost 12 

percent of the state’s total budget and was the 

fifteenth highest percentage in the nation. 

Methamphetamine

The production, distribution, and abuse of 

methamphetamine pose a serious threat to residents of Utah. Abuse of the drug is increasing in 

the state, a trend that is fueled by the drug’s ready 

availability. Violence associated with methamphetamine production, distribution, and abuse is a 

particular concern in the state. Methamphetamine 

produced in Mexico, Arizona, California and, to a 

lesser extent, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, 

and Washington is available throughout the state. 

Locally produced methamphetamine also is 

widely available throughout Utah. Mexican criminal groups dominate the transportation and 

wholesale distribution of methamphetamine produced outside the state. Caucasian independent 

dealers, many of whom have joined to form criminal groups, also are involved in the production, 

transportation, and wholesale distribution of the 

drug in Utah. At the retail level Mexican and Caucasian local independent dealers, OMGs, and 

street gangs distribute methamphetamine. 

Table 1. Percentage of Drug-Related Federal Sentences and Percentage by Drug Type

Utah and United States, FY2001

Drug-Related* Methamphetamine Heroin Powdered Cocaine Crack Cocaine Marijuana

Utah 17.2 64.7 1.2 9.4 4.7 18.8

United States 41.2 14.2 7.2 22.1 20.4 32.8

Source: USSC.

*Represents the percentage of federal sentences that are drug-related.
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

4

Abuse

Treatment admissions indicate that methamphetamine abuse is increasing in Utah. This 

increase is likely due to some cocaine abusers 

switching to methamphetamine. Data from the 

Utah Department of Human Services, Division of 

Substance Abuse indicate that methamphetaminerelated treatment admissions to publicly funded

facilities increased from 1,992 in FY1997 to 

3,785 in FY2001. In FY2001 the number of treatment admissions for methamphetamine abuse 

was higher than the number for any other illicit 

drug. In Davis County healthcare providers report 

that there were more treatment admissions for 

methamphetamine abuse than for the abuse of alcohol or any other illicit drug in FY2001. Treatment 

providers and law enforcement personnel report 

that methamphetamine has replaced cocaine as the 

stimulant of choice because of its longer-lasting 

euphoric effects and widespread availability.

Methamphetamine abuse among young people 

is a cause for concern in Utah, although abuse 

among Utah high school students remains lower 

than among high school students nationwide. 

According to 2001 YRBS data, 5.3 percent of 

high school students surveyed in Utah reported 

having abused methamphetamine at least once in 

their lifetime, compared with 9.8 nationwide. 

Methamphetamine abuse increasingly is a 

factor in drug-related deaths in the Salt Lake City 

metropolitan area. According to Drug Abuse 

Warning Network (DAWN) mortality data, the 

number of methamphetamine-related deaths in the 

Salt Lake City metropolitan area increased from 7 

in 1996 to 15 in 2000. (See Table 3 on page 5.)

DAWN Mortality Data

DAWN mortality data for the Salt Lake City 

metropolitan area represent drug-related 

deaths in Davis and Salt Lake Counties. 

These two counties account for 85 percent of 

the metropolitan area population. Weber 

County, which accounts for the remaining 15 

percent of the metropolitan area population, 

did not report mortality data to DAWN.

Table 2. Substance Abuse-Related Treatment Admissions, Utah, FY1997–FY2001

Methamphetamine Heroin Cocaine Marijuana

FY1997 1,992 1,524 2,238 2,705

FY1998 2,702 1,298 1,657 2,624

FY1999 2,882 1,438 1,529 3,321

FY2000 3,448 1,758 1,783 3,750

FY2001 3,785 1,567 1,620 3,694

Source: Utah Division of Substance Abuse.
National Drug Intelligence Center

5

Methamphetamine abusers often use the drug in 

combination with other drugs, thus increasing the 

risk of negative effects. Some abusers attempt to 

mitigate the effect of the methamphetamine crash 

by buffering it with an opiate, a practice referred to 

as speedballing. Speedballing traditionally referred 

to a method of administration that involved the 

injection of a mixture of cocaine and heroin. 

Recently, the term has been broadened and now 

refers more generally to the simultaneous use via 

injection, inhalation, or snorting of a stimulant such 

as cocaine or methamphetamine with a depressant 

such as heroin, oxycodone, or hydrocodone.

Methamphetamine is one of the most commonly abused drugs among adult male arrestees 

in Salt Lake City. According to the Arrestee 

Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) Program, 17.1 

percent of adult male arrestees in Salt Lake City 

tested positive for methamphetamine in 2000. 

Among adult male arrestees in Salt Lake City, 

24.2 percent of Caucasians, 11.6 percent of 

African Americans, and 6.8 percent of Hispanics 

tested positive for the drug. 

Table 3. Drug-Related Deaths, Salt Lake City Metropolitan Area, 1996–2000

Methamphetamine Heroin Cocaine

1996 7 43 37

1997 11 67 44

1998 22 83 77

1999 24 90 76

2000 15 80 59

Source: DAWN.

ADAM Program 

The ADAM program—administered by the 

National Institute of Justice—tracks trends in 

the prevalence and types of drug use among 

booked arrestees in selected urban areas of 

the United States. The ADAM Program 

involves two components: a questionnaire 

administered by a trained interviewer to an 

arrestee in a booking facility and a urine sample collected from the arrestee within 48 hours 

of arrest. In 2000 data were collected for 39 

metropolitan areas across the United States. 

ADAM data for Salt Lake City were collected 

from randomly selected arrestees at a facility 

in Salt Lake County. 

Methamphetamine Abuse 

Among Women

Healthcare professionals warn that an increasing number of women in Utah are addicted to 

methamphetamine. The reasons that women 

give for abusing methamphetamine vary 

widely, but many say they began using the 

drug to provide an energy boost or as a means 

of losing weight—calling it the “Jenny Crank 

Program.” The highly addictive drug triggers 

rapid weight loss, and many women lose dangerous amounts of weight when using it as a 

diet supplement. According to the Utah Division of Substance Abuse, methamphetamine 

was the most abused illicit drug among 

women seeking treatment in Utah in FY2000 

and FY2001.

Source: Utah Division of Substance Abuse. 
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

6

Availability

Methamphetamine is readily available in 

wholesale quantities throughout Utah. In 

response to the National Drug Intelligence Center 

(NDIC) National Drug Threat Survey 2001, 22 of 

the 24 law enforcement agencies surveyed in the 

state reported methamphetamine availability as 

high, and the other 2 agencies reported moderate 

availability. Methamphetamine produced by 

Mexican criminal groups in Mexico as well as 

California and Arizona is widely available across 

Utah. Methamphetamine produced locally by 

Caucasian independent dealers and criminal 

groups as well as OMGs also is widely available 

throughout the state. Some methamphetamine 

available in the state is produced by Mexican 

criminal groups and, to a lesser extent, Caucasian 

criminal groups in Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, 

Oregon, and Washington. 

Despite the ready availability of methamphetamine in Utah, federal law enforcement seizures of the drug have declined. According to 

Federal-wide Drug Seizure System (FDSS) data, 

methamphetamine seizures made by federal law 

enforcement officials in Utah decreased from 47 

kilograms in 1998 to 6 kilograms in 2001. Law 

enforcement officials in Utah reported seizures 

totaling 45 kilograms of methamphetamine in 

1999, 5 kilograms in 2000, and 9.5 kilograms in 

2001 as part of Operation Pipeline and less than 

1 kilogram of methamphetamine in both 2000 

and 2001 as part of Operation Jetway. 

According to the DEA Salt Lake City Resident Office, prices for methamphetamine ranged 

from $16,000 to $17,000 per pound and from 

$1,000 to $1,500 per ounce in the first quarter of 

FY2002. In 2001 state and local law enforcement 

authorities throughout Utah reported that methamphetamine prices ranged from $600 to $1,200 

per ounce. Law enforcement authorities in the 

state reported retail prices of $100 per gram.

The purity of methamphetamine varies significantly in the state. Lower purity methamphetamine produced by Mexican criminal groups is 

widely available in the state. The increased availability of high purity, locally produced methamphetamine accounts for some variance in reported 

purity levels and prices. In the second quarter of 

FY2001, DEA reported that the purity of methamphetamine sold at the wholesale level in Salt Lake 

City averaged 26.9 percent. Ounce quantities of 

methamphetamine produced in Utah were found 

to have purity levels between 76 and 92 percent. 

According to law enforcement respondents to the 

National Drug Threat Survey 2001, wholesale 

purity levels ranged from 25 to 90 percent, and 

retail purity levels ranged from 13 to 90 percent.

Table 4. Federal Drug Seizures in Kilograms, Utah, 1998–2001

Methamphetamine Heroin Cocaine Marijuana

1998 46.8 1.8 65.8 634.8

1999 42.4 1.7 74.5 216.1

2000 8.2 5.9 35.4 163.1

2001 6.2 0.4 21.5 13.1

Source: FDSS.
National Drug Intelligence Center

7

The number of methamphetamine-related 

federal sentences in Utah increased significantly 

from FY1997 through FY2001, and methamphetamine accounted for more drug-related 

federal sentences than any other drug in 

FY2001. According to USSC data, the number 

of methamphetamine-related sentences 

increased from 25 in FY1997 to 55 in FY2001. 

Methamphetamine-related sentences accounted 

for 64.7 percent of drug-related federal sentences in Utah in FY2001, compared with 14.2 

percent nationwide. (See Table 1 on page 3.)

Violence

Methamphetamine-related violence is a significant concern to law enforcement officials and 

public health professionals in Utah. Methamphetamine abusers frequently commit violent crimes 

and often assault police officers during the “tweaking” stage of abuse. Law enforcement officials in 

Utah also report that methamphetamine distributors often use violence in the course of conducting 

business and defending distribution territory. 

Methamphetamine abusers often are linked to 

violence in Utah, including an alarming number 

of domestic crimes ranging from child neglect 

and endangerment to physical and sexual assault. 

The paranoia that accompanies methamphetamine abuse has caused many abusers to assault 

and even kill family members, including children. 

ADAM Program data indicate that nearly onefifth (17%) of adult males arrested for violent 

crimes in Salt Lake City in 2000 tested positive 

for methamphetamine. According to the Utah 

Department of Human Services, 65 percent of 

children placed in foster care in Salt Lake County 

in 1999 had been removed from the custody of 

methamphetamine-addicted parents.

Territorial violence associated with methamphetamine distribution occurs throughout Utah, 

but primarily in the Salt Lake City area. Street 

gangs and local independent dealers who distribute methamphetamine commit violent crimes 

throughout the state. Law enforcement respondents to the NDIC National Gang Survey 2000 

reported that the following gangs distribute methamphetamine and commit violent crimes in the 

state: Avenues, Baby Browns, Baby Regulators, 

Black Mafia Gangsters, Brown Society Gangsters, 

North Side Thug Family, QVO, Sureños 13, and 

Tongan Crip Regulators. Assault is the most common violent offense committed by gang members 

who distribute methamphetamine. Some gang 

members commit assaults and engage in drive-by 

shootings against police officers and others and 

commit homicides. During 2000 and 2001 the 

Wasatch Range Task Force, which covers most of 

north central Utah including Ogden, Provo, and 

Salt Lake City, and the Logan Police Department 

reported numerous violent acts committed by 

gang members in their jurisdictions.

Methamphetamine producers sometimes use 

violence to protect their operations. Law enforcement authorities throughout the state frequently 

seize firearms, explosives, and ammunition during methamphetamine laboratory seizures. The 

Salt Lake City Metro Task Force seized 17 rifles, 

assault rifles, and handguns during a single laboratory seizure during 2001. Methamphetamine 

producers in Utah also have booby-trapped their 

laboratories with weapons and explosives.

Tweaking

During the tweaking stage, a methamphetamine user often has not slept for days and, 

consequently, is irritable. The tweaker also 

craves more methamphetamine, which results 

in frustration and contributes to anxiety and 

restlessness. In this stage the tweaker may 

become violent without provocation, and as 

abusers become increasingly paranoid, they 

often arm themselves against perceived 

threats. Case histories indicate that tweakers 

have reacted violently to the mere sight of a 

police uniform. 
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

8

OMGs in Utah are linked to violence associated with methamphetamine production and distribution. The Sundowners and Barons OMGs 

often require rival methamphetamine producers 

and distributors operating in their territory to pay 

them a portion of their profits. When producers or 

distributors fail to pay or intentionally underpay, 

OMGs resort to physical assault.

Production

Most of the methamphetamine available in 

Utah is produced by Mexican criminal groups in 

Mexico, Arizona, and California; however, significant quantities of methamphetamine are produced in Utah. The number of methamphetamine 

laboratories seized throughout Utah increased 

during the late 1990s. According to the EPIC

Clandestine Laboratory Database, the number of 

methamphetamine laboratory seizures increased 

from 152 in FY1998 to a peak of 228 in FY2000, 

then significantly decreased to 130 in FY2002. Of 

the 130 laboratories seized in Utah during 

FY2002, 93 were seized in Salt Lake County.

Most of the methamphetamine laboratories 

seized in the state are small operations in which 

limited quantities of the drug are produced for 

personal consumption. Quantities in excess of the 

producer’s needs typically are distributed at the 

retail level. In most of these laboratories an ephedrine/pseudoephedrine reduction method is used 

to produce methamphetamine. Caucasian local 

Methamphetamine Production Methods

Ephedrine/Pseudoephedrine Reduction:

• Hydriodic acid/red phosphorus. The principal chemicals are ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, hydriodic acid, and red phosphorus. This method can yield multipound quantities of high 

quality d-methamphetamine and often is associated with Mexican drug trafficking organizations 

and criminal groups. 

• Iodine/red phosphorus. The principal chemicals are ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, 

iodine, and red phosphorus. The required hydriodic acid in this variation of the hydriodic acid/

red phosphorus method is produced by the reaction of iodine in water with red phosphorus. 

This method yields high quality d-methamphetamine.

• Iodine/hypophosphorous acid. The principal chemicals are ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, 

iodine, and hypophosphorous acid. The required hydriodic acid in this variation of the hydriodic 

acid/red phosphorus method is produced by the reaction of iodine in water with hypophosphorous 

acid. Known as the hypo method, this method yields lower quality d-methamphetamine.

Hypophosphorous acid is more prone than red phosphorus to cause a fire and can produce 

deadly phosphine gas. 

• Birch. The principal chemicals are ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, anhydrous ammonia, 

and sodium or lithium metal. Also known as the Nazi method, this method typically yields ounce 

quantities of high quality d-methamphetamine and often is used by independent dealers and 

producers.

Phenyl-2-propanone:

• P2P. The principal chemicals are phenyl-2-propanone, aluminum, methylamine, and mercuric 

acid. This method yields lower quality dl-methamphetamine and traditionally has been associated 

with OMGs.
National Drug Intelligence Center

9

independent dealers operate most of these small, 

sometimes portable laboratories in motel rooms, 

storage sheds, mobile homes, and single-family 

dwellings. Some operators transport laboratories 

in vehicles and occasionally are apprehended by 

local law enforcement officials during routine 

traffic stops. Demand for locally produced methamphetamine is high because some abusers consider it to be superior to the methamphetamine 

produced by Mexican criminal groups operating 

outside the state. 

Some Caucasian local independent dealers have 

formed criminal groups in Utah and surrounding 

states to produce, transport, and distribute methamphetamine. According to law enforcement authorities throughout the state, these Caucasian criminal 

groups often are compartmentalized. Individuals are 

assigned specific tasks such as obtaining precursor 

chemicals or producing or distributing the drug. 

They typically have no contact with one another 

except when conducting a transaction. According to 

the DEA Metro Narcotics Task Force, some Caucasian criminal groups in Utah produce as much as 20 

pounds of methamphetamine per month.

OMGs, although no longer the predominant 

producers of methamphetamine in the state, continue to produce the drug in Utah. Sundowners 

and Barons OMGs members direct the production 

and distribution operations typically using associates of the OMGs to produce the drug. In January 

1999 more than 70 Sundowners members and 

associates in Utah were arrested for operating five 

methamphetamine laboratories. 

The sale of chemicals used in the production of 

methamphetamine is closely regulated in Utah. In 

1992 state legislators implemented a precursor control law that monitored the sale of ephedrine and 

pseudoephedrine. The law was amended in 1998 to 

include controls on iodine crystals and to limit the 

possession of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine to

12 grams. The availability of these chemicals in 

Methamphetamine Producer 

Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison

In December 2001 a federal jury in Salt Lake 

City sentenced a local man to 30 years in federal prison for operating a methamphetamine 

laboratory and counterfeiting U.S. currency. 

Utah County law enforcement officials 

arrested the man after receiving an anonymous tip. During the search of his home, law 

enforcement authorities discovered a working 

methamphetamine laboratory, more than 8 

ounces of the drug, and counterfeit U.S. bills.

Source: Utah County Major Crimes Task Force.

White Supremacist Groups Involved in Methamphetamine Production

White supremacist groups in the Salt Lake City area increasingly are becoming involved in methamphetamine production and distribution. The Box Elder Metro North Narcotics and Gang Strike Force, 

the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force, the Utah Department of Corrections, and the Weber/Morgan Drug Task Force report that members of the Soldiers of Aryan Culture (SAC) and Silent Aryan 

Warriors (SAW), the two largest white supremacist groups in Utah, have begun to produce and distribute methamphetamine in the state. According to officials from these law enforcement agencies, 

SAC and SAW members often set aside organizational dogma regarding racial prejudice and prohibitions against drug production, distribution, and use in order to capitalize on drug trafficking. Members of these groups often form alliances with Mexican criminals to obtain methamphetamine or the 

chemicals required to produce the drug. Moreover, the Box Elder Metro North Narcotics and Gang 

Strike Force reports that SAC and SAW members periodically trade methamphetamine to Mexican 

criminal groups in exchange for wholesale quantities of precursor chemicals that are smuggled into 

the state.

Source: Box Elder Metro North Narcotics and Gang Strike Force; Utah County Major Crimes Task Force; Utah Department 

of Corrections; Weber/Morgan Drug Task Force.
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

10

Utah has been reduced significantly due to the 

legislation; however, sales of over-the-counter 

pseudoephedrine tablets remain unregulated. In 

addition, some producers of methamphetamine in 

Sandy and West Valley City circumvent Utah’s 

precursor control laws by substituting readily 

available hypophosphorous acid for closely regulated red phosphorus. 

Methamphetamine producers have operated 

methamphetamine laboratories on public lands in 

Utah. From 1993 through 1999 the National

Forest Service (NFS) seized a total of 15 methamphetamine laboratories and 21 dumpsites in 

Utah. However, in 2000 only one dumpsite and no 

laboratories were seized on NFS lands in the state.

Transportation

Mexican criminal groups using private vehicles 

dominate the transportation of methamphetamine 

into Utah from Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. In 

addition, Caucasian criminal groups in Utah and 

other states transport multipound quantities of 

methamphetamine per month into the state from 

production and distribution centers in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, according to DEA. Furthermore, some Caucasian local independent dealers 

and OMGs transport small quantities of methamphetamine produced by Mexican criminal groups 

into Utah from Arizona, California, Colorado, 

Idaho, Nevada, and Washington. 

Methamphetamine typically is transported 

into and through Utah in private vehicles traveling on I-15, I-80, and I-70, although commercial 

buses and aircraft also are used. In an effort to 

counteract interdiction efforts, transporters often 

alter their methods of operation by changing 

routes, renting vehicles, and hiring couriers. 

Methamphetamine may be transported into 

Utah by couriers aboard commercial aircraft; however, few methamphetamine seizures have been 

reported at airports in Utah. During 1999—the most 

recent year for which data are available—the Salt 

Lake City International Airport Interdiction Unit 

seized less than 10 pounds of methamphetamine.

Much of the methamphetamine transported 

into and through Utah is destined for other areas 

of the United States. Federal, state, and local law 

enforcement authorities in Utah and surrounding 

states report that methamphetamine is transported 

from Mexico, California, and southwestern states 

through Utah en route to Colorado, Idaho, Montana, 

Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. The primary 

Methamphetamine Transportation Methods

In November 2000 law enforcement authorities in Sparks, Nevada, seized more than 9 pounds of 

methamphetamine and arrested one individual who was traveling by private vehicle on I-80 from 

Nevada to Salt Lake City. The drug was concealed in the door of the vehicle. 

Source: Operation Pipeline.

In July 2000 law enforcement authorities in Sacramento seized nearly 1 pound of methamphetamine and arrested a courier using a cash one-way bus ticket to travel from Los Angeles to Salt 

Lake City. The methamphetamine was concealed in the courier’s luggage. 

Source: Operation Jetway.

In May 2000 law enforcement authorities in Victorville, California, seized more than 1 pound of 

methamphetamine and arrested one individual who was traveling by private vehicle on I-15 from 

California to Ogden. The drug was concealed in the engine compartment of the vehicle.

Source: Operation Pipeline.
National Drug Intelligence Center

11

transportation routes for methamphetamine that 

transits Utah include I-15, I-70, I-80, and I-84 as 

well as US 191. According to federal, state, and 

local law enforcement authorities, Sevier County, 

located near the intersection of I-15 and I-70, 

recorded the most highway seizures of methamphetamine in the state in 2001. In October 2000 

the Utah Highway Patrol in Sevier County conducted a routine traffic stop on I-70, which 

resulted in the seizure of nearly 5 pounds of methamphetamine and the arrest of three individuals 

who were transporting the drug from Los Angeles 

to Colorado Springs. The methamphetamine was 

concealed in the air filter of the vehicle. 

Methamphetamine transporters use a variety 

of packaging methods to conceal the drug from 

law enforcement personnel and drug-detection 

canines. Mexican and Caucasian criminal groups 

often package the drug in clear cellophane and 

duct tape and then coat the package with soap, 

axle grease, or detergents to mask the odor of the 

methamphetamine. In addition, the Box Elder 

Metro North Narcotics and Gang Strike Force in 

Brigham City has seized methamphetamine sealed 

in one-half-gallon and 1-gallon milk containers.

Distribution

In Utah Mexican criminal groups dominate 

the wholesale and midlevel distribution of methamphetamine produced in Mexico, California, 

and Arizona. According to law enforcement 

authorities in the state, at the wholesale level 

Mexican criminal groups distribute methamphetamine almost exclusively to Mexican nationals 

and often refuse to sell the drug to Caucasians. At 

the midlevel, however, Mexican criminal groups 

distribute methamphetamine to retail distributors 

regardless of ethnicity or nationality. Several 

Mexican criminal groups employ Mexican street 

gangs to distribute methamphetamine in Utah and 

other areas of the United States. Mexican criminal 

groups have expanded their control throughout 

Utah. In 2001 law enforcement authorities 

reported that the number of illegal Mexican 

nationals in Utah suspected of methamphetamine 

distribution had increased. 

Methamphetamine 

Seized on US 191 and I-70 

In December 2001 the Utah Highway Patrol in 

Blanding seized more than 20 pounds of methamphetamine and arrested two individuals 

who were hired to transport the drug from Los 

Angeles to Wichita, Kansas. The individuals 

were traveling in a private vehicle on US 191. 

The methamphetamine was wrapped in cellophane and concealed behind the walls of the 

vehicle’s speakers. The arrested individuals 

revealed to law enforcement that two companions were following them in another car. The 

Utah Highway Patrol subsequently apprehended the other individuals, two illegal Mexican nationals who were traveling east on I-70 

near Moab, and seized approximately 1 ounce 

of methamphetamine concealed in the driver’s 

shoe.

 Source: Kansas Highway Patrol. 

Drug Distribution Group Dismantled 

In December 2001 more than 50 individuals 

were charged with operating a criminal enterprise in what local authorities described as 

one of Utah’s largest drug busts, which 

resulted in the seizure of more than 35 pounds 

of methamphetamine. The charges were the 

result of a 3-year investigation into a Mexican 

criminal group. The criminal group was 

responsible for transporting methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico through 

Southern California and Arizona to the Salt 

Lake City and Ogden areas for distribution.

Source: DEA Metro Narcotics Task Force. 
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

12

In addition, Caucasian criminal groups distribute wholesale and retail quantities of methamphetamine in Utah. Law enforcement authorities 

report that some Caucasian local independent 

dealers in Utah and surrounding states have 

formed loosely structured criminal groups in 

order to control the production, transportation, 

and distribution of methamphetamine. According 

to law enforcement authorities throughout the state, 

these Caucasian criminal groups distribute multipound quantities of methamphetamine per month 

and often operate in several states. While these criminal groups typically distribute methamphetamine at 

the wholesale level, some also distribute the drug at 

the retail level. 

Mexican and Caucasian local independent dealers are the primary retail distributors of methamphetamine in the metropolitan areas of Utah. Most 

local independent dealers purchase small quantities 

of the drug from Mexican or Caucasian criminal 

groups in Utah and nearby states. Typically, Mexican independent dealers purchase methamphetamine from Mexican criminal groups. Some 

Caucasian local independent dealers produce personal use quantities—generally 1 ounce or less—

and sell excess amounts to finance future production. These Mexican and Caucasian independent 

dealers typically distribute methamphetamine in 

gram, quarter-ounce, or ounce quantities. Law 

enforcement officials report that most Caucasian 

local independent dealers distribute methamphetamine only to a select group of acquaintances.

OMGs also distribute retail quantities of 

methamphetamine throughout Utah. Members of 

the Sundowners OMG distribute multipound 

quantities of methamphetamine throughout the 

state every year. The Sundowners OMG maintains chapters in many parts of Utah, including 

Ogden and Salt Lake City, as well as in California, Colorado, and Nevada. The Barons OMG 

distributes methamphetamine at the retail level in 

several areas in Utah. OMGs in Utah have formed 

alliances with Mexican criminal groups and often 

distribute methamphetamine supplied by these 

groups. OMG and Mexican criminal group members who have served time in prison together 

often form the foundation for these alliances. 

Street gangs, to a lesser extent, distribute retail 

quantities of methamphetamine throughout Utah, 

primarily in metropolitan areas. Street gangs purchase methamphetamine from Mexican and Caucasian criminal groups for retail distribution. Law 

enforcement respondents to the National Gang 

Survey 2000 report that the following gangs distribute methamphetamine in the state: 013 Ogden 

Trece, 18th Street, Avenues, Baby Browns, Baby 

Regulators, Black Mafia Gangsters, Brown Society Gangsters, Clearfield Loco Villains, Crips, 

East Side Crips, East Side Yo Mama, Inner City 

Piru, Kearns Town Bloods, Lay Low Crips, North 

Side Thug Family, Ogden Violent Gangsters, 

QVO, Sureños 13, Sureños Chiques, Varrio Loco 

Town, West Side Dope Boys, and West Side Piru. 

In 2000 the DEA Denver Division reported more 

than 4,300 street gang members and associates in 

the Wasatch Range Task Force area, which 

encompasses most of north central Utah including 

Ogden, Provo, and Salt Lake City. The largest 

street gangs in this area are Bloods and Crips 

gangs. Most of the Bloods and Crips gangs in 

Utah are not from California; instead, they are 

composed mostly of local youths influenced by 

the Southern California gang culture.

Caucasian Criminal Group 

Members Arrested

In February 2001 federal, state, and local 

authorities in West Valley City ended a 6-

month investigation into a Caucasian criminal 

group that produced, transported, and distributed methamphetamine. Law enforcement 

officers raided three homes and two auto body 

shops and arrested more than 20 individuals. 

Law enforcement officials reported that the 

criminal group maintained chemicals necessary for methamphetamine production in one 

location, produced the drug in another, and 

sold the finished product from a third. Most of 

the individuals arrested were heavily armed, 

and several had more than 30 previous criminal convictions.

Source: DEA Metro Narcotics Task Force.
National Drug Intelligence Center

13

Methamphetamine distributors use a variety of 

packaging methods and sell the drug from a variety of locations. Wholesale quantities of methamphetamine often are packaged in clear cellophane 

and duct tape. Methamphetamine usually is packaged for retail distribution in resealable plastic 

bags or waxed paper in quantities of less than 1 

ounce. Local producers in several Utah counties 

color code their product, using dye to tint the 

methamphetamine. The tint is a means of branding 

the drug and may also be used to identify high 

purity methamphetamine. Local independent dealers, OMGs, and street gangs distribute methamphetamine on street corners and from homes and 

businesses including automotive repair and body 

shops, bars, nightclubs, and restaurants.

Heroin

Heroin poses a threat to Utah. Mexican black tar 

heroin and brown powdered heroin are the predominant types available in the state; Southeast Asian 

heroin is available in very limited quantities. Mexican criminal groups, the primary transporters and 

wholesale distributors of heroin in Utah, transport 

the drug from transshipment points in California and 

Arizona and directly from Mexico. These groups 

typically transport the drug using private and rental 

vehicles and commercial trucks. In rural areas of the 

state, Mexican criminal groups distribute heroin at 

the retail level, and in metropolitan areas street 

gangs are the primary retail distributors.

Abuse

The number of heroin-related treatment 

admissions to publicly funded facilities has 

remained relatively stable in Utah, particularly in 

Salt Lake County. Data from the Utah Division of 

Substance Abuse indicate that heroin-related 

treatment admissions increased but only slightly 

from 1,524 in FY1997 to 1,567 in FY2001. (See 

Table 2 on page 4.) During that period nearly 80 

percent of all admissions for the treatment of heroin abuse statewide were in Salt Lake County. In 

addition, healthcare providers in Salt Lake County 

report that heroin-related treatment admissions 

accounted for more than 10 percent of all drugand alcohol-related admissions in FY2001; this 

represented the highest percentage of treatment 

admissions for heroin abuse in the state.

Heroin abuse among young people poses 

concerns for law enforcement and healthcare professionals in Utah. The percentage of Utah high 

school students who reported having abused heroin 

at least once in their lifetime is comparable to the 

percentage nationwide. According to 2001 YRBS 

data, 2.7 percent of high school students surveyed 

in Utah reported lifetime heroin abuse, compared 

with 3.1 percent of high school students in the 

United States. 

Heroin abuse increasingly is associated with 

drug-related deaths in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. According to DAWN mortality data, 

the number of deaths in which heroin was a factor 

increased significantly from 43 in 1996 to 80 in 

2000. (See Table 3 on page 5.) In 2000 heroin was 

a factor in more drug-related related deaths in the 

Salt Lake City metropolitan area than any other 

illicit drug.

According to ADAM data, 6.6 percent of adult 

male arrestees in Salt Lake City tested positive 

for heroin in 2000. Among adult male arrestees in 

Salt Lake City, 11.5 percent of African Americans, 

7.9 percent of Caucasians, and 5.0 percent of 

Hispanics tested positive for the drug.
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

14

Availability

Heroin is increasingly available in Utah in 

ounce and multiounce quantities, primarily in the 

metropolitan areas. In 2002 the Cache/Rich Drug 

Task Force, Central Utah Narcotics Strike Force, 

Davis County Metro Drug Task Force, Salt Lake 

County Metro Narcotics Task Force, Utah County 

Major Crimes Strike Force, and Weber/Morgan 

Drug Task Force reported significant increases in 

the availability of Mexican black tar heroin and 

brown powdered heroin in their jurisdictions. 

Mexican black tar heroin and brown powdered 

heroin are the types most commonly available in 

the state; Southeast Asian heroin is available in 

very limited quantities. 

As the availability of heroin has increased, the 

prices have decreased. During the first quarter of 

FY2003, DEA reported that Mexican black tar 

heroin and brown powdered heroin sold for 

$1,800 per ounce and $50 to $80 per gram in the 

Salt Lake City area—down from $100 to $150 

per gram in the first quarter of FY2002. In 2001 

the Davis County Metro Narcotics Task Force 

(which covers Davis County) and Wasatch Range 

Task Force (which covers most of north central 

Utah including Ogden, Provo, and Salt Lake City) 

reported that heroin sold for $2,500 to $2,700 per 

ounce in their jurisdictions. Also in 2001 state 

and local law enforcement authorities throughout 

Utah reported prices of $60 to $400 per gram. 

According to the DEA Denver Division, wholesale 

distributors typically maintain supplies of up to 2 

kilograms but generally do not sell quantities of 

more than 30 grams. In the first quarter of 

FY2002, the DEA Salt Lake City Resident Office 

reported that the retail purity of Mexican black tar 

heroin and brown powdered heroin was approximately 75 percent, and state and local law 

enforcement agencies in the state reported that 

retail purity ranged from 8 to 64 percent.

Despite the increasing availability of heroin in 

Utah, seizures remain relatively low. According 

to FDSS data, heroin seizures by federal law 

enforcement officials in Utah decreased from 

nearly 2 kilograms in 1998 to less than one-half 

kilogram in 2001. (See Table 4 on page 6.) Law 

enforcement officials in Utah did not report any 

heroin seizures to Operation Pipeline in 1999 and 

2001; however, in 2000 they reported seizing 

approximately 5 kilograms of heroin. 

USSC data show that in Utah there were 12 

federal sentences for heroin-related offenses from 

FY1997 through FY2001. In FY2001 heroin 

accounted for 1.2 percent of all drug-related federal sentences in Utah, compared with 7.2 percent 

nationwide. (See Table 1 on page 3.)

Violence

Violence usually is not associated with the 

abuse or distribution of heroin in Utah. Nevertheless, some street gangs that distribute heroin in 

metropolitan areas of the state use violence in the 

course of conducting drug distribution activities 

and defending their territory. Several police 

departments in Utah report that these distributors 

commit assault against both civilians and law 

enforcement officers, carjacking, drive-by shooting, and homicide. Heroin abusers are generally 

nonviolent, although some commit burglary or 

robbery to support their addiction.

According to ADAM data, 4.6 percent of adult 

males arrested for violent crimes in Salt Lake 

City in 2000 tested positive for heroin abuse.
National Drug Intelligence Center

15

Production

Opium is not cultivated nor is heroin produced 

in Utah. Heroin is produced primarily in four 

source regions: South America, Southeast Asia, 

Southwest Asia, and Mexico. Most of the heroin 

available in Utah is Mexican black tar heroin or 

brown powdered heroin. Southeast Asian heroin 

is available in very limited quantities.

Transportation

Mexican criminal groups are the primary 

transporters of heroin into and through Utah. 

These criminal groups transport ounce and multiounce quantities of heroin from transshipment 

points in California and, to a lesser extent, Arizona 

as well as directly from Mexico. They typically 

transport heroin to Utah on I-15 and other roadways in private and rental vehicles and commercial trucks. Most of the heroin seized in Utah is 

transported from Southern California and is destined for other states. 

Distribution

Mexican criminal groups dominate the wholesale distribution of heroin in Utah. These criminal 

groups have adopted the same hierarchically 

structured, family-based system that is used by 

distributors of cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine. According to Utah law enforcement 

authorities, Mexican criminal groups sell heroin to 

midlevel distributors—typically family members, close friends, or associates who are members of other Mexican criminal groups. These 

groups also sell retail quantities of the drug to 

individuals who are known heroin abusers. In 

order to prove that they are regular users of the 

drug, these individuals must show the distributor 

their “tracks”—black lines and dark scars on an 

abuser’s arms or legs that are signs of continued 

intravenous abuse of heroin. In metropolitan areas 

of the state, Mexican criminal groups acting as 

midlevel distributors sell heroin to street gangs, 

and in rural areas of Utah these criminal groups 

sell the drug at the retail level. 

Heroin Destined for St. Louis 

Seized in Utah

In October 2000 the Utah Highway Patrol 

seized 3.6 kilograms of Mexican brown powdered heroin from two individuals who were 

transporting the drug from Compton, California, to St. Louis on I-15 in a private vehicle. 

The heroin was concealed in the vehicle’s 

spare tire. This was the largest heroin seizure 

reported to Operation Pipeline in Utah history.

In February 2000 the Utah Highway Patrol 

seized more than 1.5 kilograms of heroin and 

arrested an individual who was transporting 

the drug from Los Angeles to St. Louis on I-70 

in a private vehicle. The heroin was concealed 

in the engine compartment near the windshield wiper housing. 

Source: Operation Pipeline.
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

16

Street gangs are the primary retail distributors 

of heroin in the metropolitan areas of Utah. Most 

street gangs in these areas purchase ounce or 

multiounce quantities of the drug from Mexican 

criminal groups who operate at the midlevel. Law 

enforcement respondents to the National Gang 

Survey 2000 reported that heroin is distributed at 

the retail level by numerous street gangs including 

Alley Boys, Armenian Mafia Gang, Sureños 13, 

and Sureños Chiques in the Salt Lake City area; 

Brown Society Gangsters in Davis County; and 

QVO and Alley Boys in West Valley City.

Heroin is distributed in a variety of ways in 

Utah. According to the DEA Denver Division, as 

previously stated, most wholesale and midlevel 

distributors of the drug maintain supplies of less 

than 2 kilograms and sell quantities of 30 grams 

or less to retailers. In an effort to avoid law 

enforcement scrutiny, retail distributors often 

conduct sales indoors. In many metropolitan 

areas of the state, heroin is distributed at the retail 

level from automotive repair shops, bars, private 

residences, and some restaurants. Larger quantities—1 ounce or more—are packaged in small 

plastic bags or wrapped in aluminum foil. Personal use quantities (1 gram or less) often are bundled in packages of smaller units and wrapped in 

cellophane or put in a plastic bag. 

Cocaine

Cocaine poses a threat to Utah, particularly 

because of the violence associated with the distribution and abuse of the drug. Powdered cocaine is 

distributed in both wholesale and retail quantities 

and is available throughout the state. Crack 

cocaine is available only in retail quantities and 

only in metropolitan areas. Mexican criminal 

groups transport powdered cocaine into the state 

and serve as wholesale, midlevel, and retail distributors. At the retail level street gangs and 

Caucasian and Mexican local independent dealers 

distribute powdered cocaine. Some street gangs 

also convert powdered cocaine into crack and distribute the drug at the wholesale and retail levels.

Abuse

Cocaine abuse remains a concern in Utah. 

Data from the Utah Division of Substance Abuse 

indicate that the number of cocaine-related treatment admissions to publicly funded facilities 

decreased from 2,238 in FY1997 to 1,657 in 

FY1998, then remained relatively stable through 

FY2001 when 1,620 admissions were reported. 

(See Table 2 on page 4.) (Treatment data provided 

by the Division of Substance Abuse do not distinguish between powdered and crack cocaine.)

The rate of cocaine abuse in Utah is comparable 

to the national rate, and most cocaine abusers in 

Utah are young adults. According to the 1999 and 

2000 NHSDA, the percentage of Utah residents 

(1.5%) who reported having abused cocaine at 

least once in the year prior to the survey was 

comparable to the percentage nationwide (1.6%). 

Individuals 18 to 25 years of age in Utah reported 

the highest rate (3.4%) of past year cocaine abuse. 

The percentage of Utah high school students 

who reported having abused cocaine at least once 

in their lifetime is lower than the national percentage. According to the 2001 YRBS, 4.1 percent of 

high school students surveyed in Utah reported 

lifetime cocaine abuse, compared with 9.4 percent 

nationwide. However, 2.7 percent of Utah high 

school students surveyed reported having abused 

cocaine at least once in the 30 days prior to the 

survey, statistically comparable to the national 

percentage of 4.2 percent. 

Cocaine abuse increasingly is a factor in drugrelated deaths in the Salt Lake City metropolitan 

area. According to DAWN mortality data, the 

number of deaths in which cocaine was a factor 
National Drug Intelligence Center

17

increased from 37 in 1996 to 59 in 2000. (See 

Table 3 on page 5.)

Cocaine is frequently abused by adult male 

arrestees in Salt Lake City. According to ADAM 

data, 18.0 percent of adult male arrestees in Salt 

Lake City in 2000 tested positive for cocaine. 

Among adult male arrestees, 29.0 percent of African Americans, 27.4 percent of Hispanics, and 15.4 

percent of Caucasians tested positive for the drug.

Availability

Powdered cocaine is available in various quantities throughout Utah, and crack cocaine availability 

is limited to retail quantities in metropolitan areas of 

the state. Powdered cocaine is available in wholesale 

quantities in the Wasatch Range Task Force area, 

which encompasses most of north central Utah 

including Ogden, Provo, and Salt Lake City. Law 

enforcement authorities in Salt Lake City report that 

powdered cocaine is readily available in wholesale 

quantities in and around Salt Lake City. According 

to the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), powdered cocaine also is 

available at numerous ski resorts in Utah. Crack 

cocaine is available in retail quantities in the Salt 

Lake City area.

The price of cocaine has remained relatively 

stable throughout Utah, with variances reported in 

some rural areas of the state. According to the DEA 

Salt Lake City Resident Office, powdered cocaine 

prices have fluctuated nominally, with some 

decreases from FY1999 to FY2001. According to 

DEA, during the second quarter of FY2001, powdered cocaine sold for $16,000 to $20,000 per kilogram, $500 to $1,000 per ounce, and $75 to $125 

per gram throughout the state. Crack cocaine sold 

for $20 to $30 per rock throughout the state. Local 

law enforcement authorities report that wholesale 

powdered cocaine prices were as high as $25,000 

per kilogram in some rural areas of the state. State 

and local law enforcement agencies in the state 

reported wholesale purity levels of 50 to 96 percent 

and retail purity levels of 25 to 70 percent in 2001.

Despite the availability of cocaine in Utah, 

federal law enforcement seizures of the drug have 

declined. According to FDSS data, cocaine seizures by federal law enforcement officers in Utah 

decreased from 66 kilograms in 1998 to 22 kilograms in 2001. (See Table 4 on page 6.) Law 

enforcement officials in Utah reported cocaine 

seizures totaling 47 kilograms in 1999, 45 kilograms in 2000, and 17 kilograms in 2001 as part 

of Operation Pipeline, and they did not report any 

cocaine seizures in 2000 as part of Operation Jetway; however, in 2001 they reported seizing 15 

kilograms of the drug.

Federal sentencing statistics for Utah indicate 

that the number of cocaine-related federal sentences decreased dramatically from 34 in FY1997 

to 12 in FY2001. According to USSC data, 47.2 

percent of drug-related federal sentences in Utah 

were for cocaine-related violations in FY1997. 

That percentage declined to 14.1 percent in 

FY2001—well below the national rate of 42.5 

percent. (See Table 1 on page 3.)

Violence

Cocaine-related violence poses a significant 

threat to law enforcement authorities throughout 

Utah. Cocaine distributors often use violence to 

protect their territory and drug supply. Street 

gangs that distribute cocaine often commit violent 

crimes in Utah, primarily in the Wasatch Range 

Task Force area, which encompasses most of 

north central Utah including Ogden, Provo, and 

Salt Lake City. Law enforcement respondents to 

the National Gang Survey 2000 reported that the 
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

18

following gangs distribute cocaine and commit 

violent crimes in the state: 013 Ogden Trece, 18th 

Street, 21st Street Gang, Alley Boys, Armenian 

Mafia Gang, Kearns Town Bloods, Ogden Violent 

Gangsters, Original Laotian Gang, QVO, Tongan 

Crip Gangsters, and Tongan Crip Regulators. 

According to law enforcement agencies throughout the state, assault is the most common violent 

crime committed by gangs that distribute cocaine. 

Some distributors also commit drive-by shooting, 

assault on law enforcement officers, and other 

violent crimes. 

Law enforcement agencies in Utah report that 

individuals who abuse cocaine often commit violent 

crime. According to ADAM data, 15.3 percent of 

adult males arrested in Salt Lake City in 2000 for 

violent crimes tested positive for cocaine. In 

addition, some cocaine abusers have attacked 

and killed law enforcement officers in the state.

Production

Coca is not cultivated nor is powdered cocaine 

produced in Utah. However, retail distributors in 

Salt Lake City and other metropolitan areas commonly convert powdered cocaine to crack. They 

convert small quantities on an as-needed basis to 

avoid federal drug sentences that are lengthier for 

possessing crack than powdered cocaine. Street 

gangs such as 18th Street, Alley Boys, QVO, and 

Tongan Crip Gangsters convert powdered cocaine 

to crack in or near the business, private residence, 

or public area where it is distributed.

Transportation

Mexican criminal groups dominate the transportation of cocaine from Mexico. They typically 

transport cocaine from Mexico through Arizona, 

California, and New Mexico into Utah. Street 

gangs in Utah also transport cocaine into the 

state. Law enforcement respondents to the 

National Gang Survey 2000 from Farmington, 

Salt Lake City, and West Valley City reported that 

street gangs transport cocaine from Arizona and 

California into their jurisdictions.

Cocaine typically is transported into Utah in 

private or rental vehicles, although commercial 

aircraft, buses, trains, and package delivery services 

also are used. Operation Pipeline seizure statistics 

indicate that in 1999 and 2000, I-15 and I-70 were 

the primary routes along which cocaine was 

seized in Utah. 

Wholesale quantities of cocaine are transported 

through Utah en route to other areas of the United 

States. According to Operation Pipeline seizure statistics, cocaine is transported from California 

through Utah to Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, and 

Washington. The primary transportation routes for 

cocaine that transits Utah are I-15, I-70, and I-80. 

Couriers aboard commercial aircraft also transport cocaine into and through Utah. The Salt Lake 

City Air Interdiction Unit seized 13 kilograms of

Police Officer’s Killer Used Cocaine

In August 2001 a Provo man who had snorted 

cocaine a short time before was stopped by a 

Lehi police officer who suspected that the man 

was driving under the influence. According to a 

passenger in the vehicle, the officer discovered the cocaine, placed the man under arrest, 

and cuffed one of his hands. The man forced 

himself away from the officer, drew a gun, and 

fired. The bullet struck the officer in the chest 

and killed him. 

Source: Lehi Police Department.
National Drug Intelligence Center

19

cocaine and arrested two individuals who were 

transporting the drug on a commercial flight from 

California to Anchorage via Salt Lake City in 

November 2001. The cocaine was concealed in a 

false compartment in a piece of luggage.

Distribution

Mexican criminal groups distribute most of 

the powdered cocaine that is available in Utah. 

These groups distribute the drug in wholesale, 

midlevel, and retail quantities throughout Utah. 

Many of these Mexican criminal groups have 

direct contacts to Mexican DTOs that operate in 

Mexico and southwestern states. In addition, these 

groups distribute multiple kilograms of cocaine 

per week exclusively to friends, family members, 

and others who distribute wholesale and midlevel 

quantities. In December 2001 federal, state, and 

local law enforcement authorities in Ogden and 

Salt Lake City arrested more than 50 members of 

a Mexican criminal group in one of Utah’s largest 

drug investigations. The individuals were charged 

with offenses that included distributing drugs and 

operating a criminal enterprise. The arrests were 

the result of a 3-year investigation into the Mexican criminal group that transported and distributed cocaine and methamphetamine from Mexico 

through Southern California and Arizona into 

Utah. Members of the criminal group in Salt Lake 

City and Ogden sold the drugs to, and often worked 

in cooperation with, street gangs and abusers.

Street gangs and local independent dealers 

based in Utah often obtain powdered cocaine 

from Mexican criminal groups and distribute the 

drug at the retail level. Law enforcement respondents to the NDIC National Gang Survey 2000 

reported that the following street gangs distribute 

powdered cocaine in retail quantities throughout 

the state: 013 Ogden Trece, 18th Street, 21st Street 

Gang, Alley Boys, Armenian Mafia, Avenues 

Gang, Black Mafia Gangsters, Gangster Disciples, 

Ogden Violent Gangsters, Oriental Laotian Gangsters, QVO, La Raza, Silent Aryan Warriors, 

Sureños 13, Sureños Chiques, Tiny Oriental Posse, 

Tongan Crip Regulators, Varrios Mexicanos Locos, 

and Varrio Loco Town. Local independent dealers 

who distribute cocaine usually are Caucasian or 

Mexican and distribute other illicit drugs as well.

Crack cocaine is distributed in limited quantities 

in the metropolitan areas of Utah. Crack distribution 

in the state is limited to midlevel (ounce quantities). 

Cocaine Transported to Utah

In March 2001 law enforcement authorities in 

San Bernardino seized nearly 25 kilograms of 

powdered cocaine being transported from Los 

Angeles to Salt Lake City. The drug was concealed in a compartment under the rear seat.

In April 2000 the Utah Highway Patrol seized 

24 kilograms of powdered cocaine and 

arrested two men who were transporting the 

drug on I-15 from Santa Ana to Salt Lake City 

in a private vehicle. The drug was concealed in 

a false compartment between the trunk and 

the rear seat.

Source: Operation Pipeline.

Cocaine Transported Through Utah

In November 2001 law enforcement officials in 

Sevier County seized 3 kilograms of cocaine 

and arrested one individual who was transporting the drug from Los Angeles to Cleveland in a private vehicle traveling on I-70. 

In October 2001 the Central Oklahoma Metro 

Interdiction Team seized 17 kilograms of 

cocaine and arrested one individual who was 

transporting the drug from Salt Lake City to 

Tulsa via I-35. The cocaine, in 25 packages 

wrapped with brown tape, was concealed in 

the vehicle’s gas tank. 

Source: Operation Pipeline; DEA Dallas Division.
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

20

Street gangs are the primary midlevel and retail distributors of the drug in Utah. Street gangs such as 

18th Street, Alley Boys, QVO, and Tongan Crip 

Gangsters convert powdered cocaine to crack and 

distribute midlevel and retail quantities of the drug 

to local independent dealers and directly to abusers.

Powdered cocaine and crack cocaine are distributed from private residences or businesses, 

including bars, nightclubs, and restaurants in Utah. 

Wholesale quantities of powdered cocaine typically 

are wrapped in clear or colored cellophane or packaged in plastic bags and sealed with tape. One of 

the most common packaging methods involves 

placing gram or ounce quantities of powdered or 

crack cocaine in small, vacuum-sealed plastic bags.

Marijuana

Marijuana is the most widely available illicit 

drug in Utah, and there is evidence to suggest that 

abuse of the drug is increasing. Marijuana produced by Mexican criminal groups in Mexico and 

California is the most common type available in 

the state. However, marijuana produced in Utah 

also is available and typically commands a higher 

price because its potency exceeds that of Mexicoor California-produced marijuana. Caucasian 

criminal groups produce high potency marijuana 

in the state; they distribute the drug directly as 

well as supply local independent dealers. Mexican 

criminal groups dominate the transportation and 

wholesale and midlevel distribution of marijuana 

produced in Mexico or California. At the retail 

level street gangs, Mexican and Caucasian criminal groups, and local independent dealers distribute marijuana.

Abuse

Treatment admissions data indicate that marijuana abuse has increased steadily in Utah. Data 

from the Utah Division of Substance Abuse indicate that marijuana/hashish-related treatment 

admissions to publicly funded facilities in Utah 

increased from 2,705 in FY1997 to 3,694 in 

FY2001. (See Table 2 on page 4.)

The rate of marijuana abuse in Utah is slightly 

lower than the national rate, and most marijuana 

abusers are young adults. According to the 1999 

and 2000 NHSDA, 3.2 percent of Utah residents 

surveyed reported abusing marijuana at least once 

in the month prior to the survey, compared with 

4.8 percent nationwide. Individuals 18 to 25 years 

of age in Utah reported the highest rate (7.4%) of 

past month marijuana abuse.

The percentage of high school students reporting marijuana abuse in Utah is lower than the 

national percentage. According to 2001 YRBS 

data, 19.7 percent of Utah high school students 

surveyed reported having abused marijuana at 

least once in their lifetime, compared with 42.4 

percent nationwide. In addition, 9.7 percent of 

Utah high school students surveyed reported that 

they had abused marijuana in the 30 days prior to 

the survey, compared with 23.9 percent nationwide.

Marijuana is frequently detected among adult 

male arrestees in Salt Lake City. According to 

ADAM data, in Salt Lake City 33.5 percent of 

adult male arrestees tested positive for marijuana 

in 2000. Among adult male arrestees, 44.1 percent of African Americans, 38.1 percent of Caucasians, and 28.8 percent of Hispanics tested 

positive for the drug.
National Drug Intelligence Center

21

Availability

Marijuana is the most widely available illicit 

drug in Utah. Marijuana produced by Mexican 

criminal groups in Mexico and California is the 

most common type available in the state. Generally, marijuana produced in Mexico and California 

has a lower potency than locally produced marijuana and sells for a lower price at the wholesale 

level. DEA reported that marijuana sold for $600 

to $1,000 per pound, $80 to $150 per ounce, and 

$0.50 to $5 per joint in Utah during the first quarter of FY2002. According to the DEA Salt Lake 

City Resident Office, high potency and locally 

produced marijuana sold for $2,000 to $5,000 per 

pound, more than $100 per ounce, and $1 to $5 per 

joint in the first quarter of FY2002. Small amounts 

of BC Bud—high potency marijuana produced in 

Canada—are available. In 2001 BC Bud sold for 

more than $3,000 per pound in Utah.

Marijuana is readily available in Utah; however, 

federal law enforcement seizures of the drug have 

declined. According to FDSS data, marijuana 

seizures made by federal law enforcement officers 

in Utah decreased from 635 kilograms in 1998 to 

13 kilograms in 2001. (See Table 4 on page 6.)

Law enforcement officials in Utah reported marijuana seizures totaling 950 kilograms in 1999, 437 

kilograms in 2000, and 490 kilograms in 2001 as 

part of Operation Pipeline, and they did not report 

any marijuana seizures in 2000 as part of Operation Jetway; however, in 2001 they reported seizing 14 kilograms of the drug.

The percentage of marijuana-related federal 

sentences in Utah has increased but was significantly lower than the national percentage in 

FY2001. According to USSC data, the percentage 

of federal sentences in Utah that were marijuanarelated increased from 15.2 percent in FY1997 to 

18.8 percent in FY2001—lower than the nationwide figure of 32.8. (See Table 1 on page 3.)

Violence

There is some violence associated with the 

production and distribution of marijuana in Utah. 

Operators of outdoor cannabis cultivation operations sometimes employ armed Mexican immigrants to protect their sites. According to the DEA 

Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program (DCE/SP) statistical report, 17 weapons 

related to cannabis cultivation operations were 

seized in Utah in 1999. No weapons were seized 

from cultivation sites during 2000—the most 

recent year for which information is available. In 

addition, some street gangs and local independent 

dealers in the state use violence to protect their 

drug distribution territory and drug supplies.

Production

Although most of the marijuana available in 

Utah is produced in Mexico and California, cannabis is cultivated in the state, particularly in the 

northern areas. Outdoor cultivation is the more 

common method of producing marijuana in Utah, 

although significant quantities also are produced 

indoors. The Utah Department of Public Safety 

reports that Weber County is the center of cannabis 

cultivation in the state. According to the Utah 

Criminal Investigations Bureau, in 1999 there were 

8,537 cannabis plants eradicated from indoor and 

outdoor grow sites in Weber County, 661 in Salt 

Lake County, 456 in Iron County, 217 in San Juan 

County, 174 in Duchesne County, 112 in Cache 
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

22

County, 34 in Utah County, 27 in Uintah County, 

20 in Box Elder County, and 2 each in Davis and 

Sevier Counties. According to DCE/SP data, the 

number of outdoor operations eradicated fluctuated 

significantly from 1997 through 2000. Eight outdoor plots (1,321 plants) were eradicated in 1997, 

none in 1998, 15 plots (8,870 plants) in 1999, 10 

plots (581 plants) in 2000, and 6 plots (113 

plants) in 2001. 

Indoor cannabis cultivation also is prevalent in 

Utah. According to DCE/SP data, approximately 

42 percent of the cannabis plants eradicated in Utah 

during 2000 were cultivated indoors. These data 

reflect significant increases in the number of indoor 

operations with 1 indoor cultivation site (56 plants) 

seized in 1997, none in 1998, 43 sites (1,259 

plants) in 1999, 108 sites (422 plants) in 2000, and 

7 sites (1,736 plants) in 2001. The Box Elder 

County Sheriff’s Office, Central Utah Narcotics 

Strike Force, Davis County Metro Narcotics Task 

Force, and Morgan County Sheriff’s Office likewise reported increases in the number of indoor 

cultivation seizures in their jurisdictions. 

Mexican criminal groups and, to a lesser 

extent, Caucasian local independent dealers 

increasingly are using public lands in Utah for 

cannabis cultivation. Cultivators select these areas 

for their remoteness, fertile soil, and low law 

enforcement presence. Mexican criminal groups 

commonly employ illegal Mexican aliens to cultivate cannabis in these remote areas. According to 

the NFS, these criminal groups are dangerous and 

have a propensity for violence. NFS law enforcement personnel are actively involved in eradicating and suppressing cannabis cultivation in Utah. 

However, severe fire seasons in 2000 and 2001 

coupled with the vast area patrolled by NFS personnel made it difficult to monitor many areas of 

the state.

Caucasian criminal groups and local independent dealers dominate the production of high 

potency marijuana at indoor grow sites throughout 

Utah. Indoor grow sites are increasingly popular 

throughout the state as the demand for high potency 

marijuana continues to increase. These criminal 

groups and local independent dealers use hydroponic techniques in separate nursery, cloning, and 

maturation sites in order to produce high potency 

marijuana. Indoor grow sites often are vulnerable to 

detection by law enforcement because it is necessary to evacuate the air inside the facility. This 

creates a distinct skunk-like odor that may persist 

outside the facility for several hours. State and 

local law enforcement authorities in many areas 

of Utah report that some Caucasian local independent dealers use false identities to rent homes 

that they use solely for the purpose of growing 

cannabis. In addition, some indoor cannabis cultivators rent trucks to mobilize their operations in 

order to avoid detection by law enforcement. 

Investigators Uncover Underground 

Marijuana Operation

In March 2001 the Duchesne County Sheriff’s 

Office eradicated 510 cannabis plants, seized a 

cache of guns and dynamite, and arrested a 

Duchesne man who operated an underground 

hydroponic cannabis grow site. During a search of 

the man’s property, law enforcement authorities 

discovered a trapdoor in a small shed that led to a 

10-foot tunnel leading into a large, underground 

room filled with cannabis plants, timed heat 

lamps, a hydroponic system, and air vents. 

Source: Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office; Uintah Basin 

Narcotics Strike Force. 
National Drug Intelligence Center

23

Transportation

Mexican criminal groups dominate the transportation of marijuana into Utah. These criminal 

groups transport marijuana primarily from Mexico. 

Some Caucasian and Mexican local independent 

dealers as well as street gangs also transport 

marijuana from transshipment points in California, 

Colorado, and Nevada into the state. Law 

enforcement officials report that Caucasian criminal groups and local independent dealers are the 

primary transporters of high potency marijuana 

into and throughout Utah from Colorado, Oregon, 

Washington, and British Columbia, Canada.

Marijuana typically is transported into Utah 

in private or rental vehicles via I-15, I-70, I-80, 

US 89, and US 191. Commercial and private aircraft, buses, and package delivery services also 

are used. To avoid law enforcement interdiction, 

transporters often alter their methods of operation by 

changing routes, hiring couriers, renting vehicles, 

and using package delivery services. 

Most of the marijuana that is transported into 

Utah is in transit to other areas of the United 

States. According to federal, state, and local law 

enforcement authorities, wholesale quantities of 

marijuana are transported through the state to 

other regions of the country. Transportation 

routes for marijuana transiting Utah include I-15, 

I-70, and US 191. 

Marijuana Destined for Utah

During October 2000 law enforcement officers in 

Flagstaff seized 548 pounds of marijuana that 

was being transported from El Paso to Salt Lake 

City in a private vehicle traveling on US 89.

Source: Operation Pipeline.

In July 2000 Operation Jetway Task Force 

agents in Las Vegas seized approximately 33 

pounds of marijuana and arrested one individual 

who was transporting the drug from San Diego 

to Salt Lake City on a bus. The individual traveled on a cash one-way ticket and concealed the 

marijuana in luggage.

Source: Operation Jetway.

Marijuana Transported Through Utah

In November 2001 officers with the Utah Highway Patrol operating in San Juan County 

seized more than 750 pounds of marijuana 

and arrested the driver of the pickup truck in 

which the drug was being transported. The 

driver was traveling from Tucson to Cincinnati 

on US 191. The marijuana was wrapped in 

contact paper and dryer sheets and concealed 

in the bed of the truck. The driver was to be 

paid $20,000 for transporting the drug.

During May 2000 law enforcement officials in 

San Juan County seized nearly 300 pounds of 

marijuana that was being transported from 

Tucson to Somerset, Kentucky, on US 191 in a 

private vehicle. The drug was concealed in the 

trunk of the vehicle.

In January 2000 the Utah Highway Patrol in 

Price County seized approximately 618 pounds 

of marijuana and arrested a woman traveling 

eastbound on I-70 in a rental vehicle from 

North Hollywood, California, to Baltimore. The 

marijuana was located in the cargo area of the 

vehicle and was not concealed. Mustard and 

coffee grounds were used as masking agents.

Source: Operation Jetway; Operation Pipeline.
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

24

Distribution

In Utah Mexican criminal groups are the predominant wholesale and midlevel distributors of 

marijuana produced by Mexican criminal groups 

in Mexico and California. These criminal groups 

usually have direct ties to sources of supply. At 

the wholesale level Mexican criminal groups

distribute the drug through familial or personal 

connections to midlevel distributors, minimizing 

exposure to informants, law enforcement officers, 

retail distributors, and abusers. Midlevel distributors subsequently sell the drug to various retail 

distributors who generally are unaffiliated with 

the criminal group. Midlevel distributors sell marijuana to various local independent dealers and 

street gangs throughout Utah. Some Mexican 

criminal groups also distribute marijuana at the 

retail level in the state.

Street gangs are the principal retail distributors 

of marijuana in Utah. Mexican criminal groups 

supply marijuana to most street gangs in the state, 

although some street gangs transport multipound 

quantities of the drug into the state for retail distribution. According to the DEA Salt Lake City Resident 

Office and law enforcement officials in Utah, 

numerous gangs distribute marijuana throughout 

Utah including 013 Ogden Trece, 18th Street, 21st 

Street Gang, Alley Boys, Armenian Mafia Gang, 

Baby Browns, Brown Society Gangsters, Deuce 

Crips, East Side Yo Mama, Gothics, North Ridge 

Boys, North Side Thug Family, Ogden Violent 

Gangsters, Original Laotian Posse, La Raza, Silent 

Aryan Warriors, Sixth Street Gang, Sureños 13, 

Sureños Chiques, Tongan Crip Gangsters, Tongan 

Crip Regulators, Varrio Loco Town, Vice Lords, and 

West Side Piru.

Caucasian local independent dealers also distribute Mexico-produced marijuana at the retail 

level in Utah to a lesser extent. Some Caucasian 

local independent dealers purchase retail quantities 

of the drug from Mexican criminal groups in 

Utah and nearby states. These dealers typically 

retain a small amount of marijuana for personal 

use and distribute the remainder to local abusers.

Caucasian criminal groups and local independent dealers are the primary distributors of high 

potency marijuana in Utah. These criminal groups 

control nearly all aspects of the production of 

most locally produced high potency marijuana 

including seed purchases and cultivation, as well 

as the wholesale and retail distribution of the drug 

to local independent dealers and abusers. Local 

independent dealers typically distribute high 

potency marijuana purchased from Caucasian 

criminal groups. However, some local independent 

dealers also produce the drug for personal use and 

retail distribution.

At the wholesale level marijuana is distributed 

in multihundred-pound quantities from businesses 

such as storage facilities and warehouses. Wholesale quantities of marijuana in Utah typically are 

packaged in clear cellophane and duct tape. Retail 

distributors of marijuana sell the drug from businesses, homes, vehicles, and public areas. Retail 

quantities of marijuana usually are packaged and 

distributed in small, resealable plastic bags.

Other Dangerous Drugs

The category of other dangerous drugs 

includes the stimulant MDMA, the hallucinogen 

LSD, the depressant GHB and its analogs, and 

diverted pharmaceuticals such as benzodiazepines, 

hydrocodones, oxycodones, and Ritalin. MDMA 

poses the most significant threat to Utah in this

category, as it is increasingly available and abused 

in the state, particularly in the metropolitan areas of 

Ogden, Provo, and Salt Lake City. The diversion 

and abuse of pharmaceuticals represent a significant 

threat to Utah, and individuals of all ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic status abuse these drugs. 
National Drug Intelligence Center

25

MDMA

The increasing availability and abuse of 

MDMA, particularly among teenagers and young 

adults, pose a significant and growing threat to 

Utah. MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), also known as E, ecstasy, and X, was 

patented in 1914 in Germany where it was sometimes given to psychiatric patients to assist in 

psychotherapy, a practice never approved by the 

American Psychological Association or the Food 

and Drug Administration. Sometimes called the 

hug drug, MDMA reportedly helps users to 

become more “in touch” with others and “opens 

channels of communication.” However, abuse of 

the drug can cause psychological problems similar 

to those associated with methamphetamine and 

cocaine abuse including confusion, depression, 

sleeplessness, anxiety, and paranoia. The physical 

effects can include muscle tension, involuntary 

teeth clenching, blurred vision, and increased 

heart rate and blood pressure. MDMA abuse can 

also cause a marked increase in body temperature 

leading to muscle breakdown, kidney failure, 

cardiovascular system failure, stroke, or seizure as 

reported in some fatal cases. Researchers suggest 

that MDMA abuse may result in long-term and 

sometimes permanent damage to parts of the brain 

that are critical to thought and memory.

MDMA is one of the most popular drugs at 

raves. Rave managers often sell water, pacifiers, 

and glow sticks at rave parties. “Ravers” require 

water to offset dehydration caused by MDMA, 

use pacifiers, Popsicle sticks, and large wads of 

gum to prevent the grinding of teeth—a common 

side effect of MDMA use—and wave glow sticks 

in front of their eyes because MDMA stimulates 

light perception. Other paraphernalia associated 

with club drug abuse at raves include vaporizing 

cold ointment, candies that are used to conceal 

the drugs (by absorbing the drugs or by intermingling drugs with candy), and testing kits (to determine whether the tablets that users purchase 

actually include MDMA). Some ravers apply 

vaporizing cold ointment directly to their nostrils 

to experience a “freeze,” a cold sensation 

enhanced by the effects of MDMA.

MDMA increasingly is abused and available 

in the metropolitan areas of Ogden, Provo, and 

Salt Lake City. Law enforcement officials in Salt 

Lake City report that MDMA is now considered 

Raves

Throughout the 1990s high energy, all-night dances known as raves, which feature techno-music 

and flashing laser lights, increased in popularity among teens and young adults. Raves occur in 

either permanent dance clubs or temporary “weekend event” sites set up in abandoned warehouses, 

open fields, empty buildings, or civic centers.

Utah has a unique rave culture with anomalies that are specific to the state. Utah law enforcement 

intelligence indicates that individuals are using limousines or other rental vehicles to travel to raves 

because of increased vehicle traffic and overcrowded parking. Another emerging trend in Utah is 

the use of club drugs—synthetic drugs such as MDMA, LSD, and GHB—at adult, rave-like events 

called trancemission parties. These parties are held in private residences, and cover charges, 

which include the first MDMA tablet, can exceed $200 per attendee. The parties are theme-oriented 

and normally involve sexual activity. Hosts recruit teenage girls and young adults from dance clubs 

and other social gatherings. Trancemission parties often feature “sex rooms” equipped with video 

cameras to record the sexual exploits of the hosts and partygoers.

Source: Utah Substance Abuse and Anti-Violence Coordinating Council; Utah Club Drug Summit; Salt Lake County

Sheriff’s Office.
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

26

the drug of choice among abusers and has replaced 

marijuana as the first drug of abuse for many 

young people.

Most of the MDMA available in Utah is produced outside the United States, usually in the 

Netherlands and Belgium. No MDMA production 

is known to occur in Utah; however, in 1989 the 

State Bureau of Investigation and DEA seized an 

operational MDMA laboratory that was located at 

a research facility in Salt Lake City. According to 

the DEA Denver Division, the degree of MDMA 

production in the region may be greater than what 

has been observed or the number of seizures indicates. MDMA recipes can be easily obtained from 

the Internet and published books; laboratories producing MDMA and its analog, MDA (3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine), have been encountered 

elsewhere in the United States. 

Individual distributors, Caucasian criminal 

groups, and Israeli nationals are the dominant 

transporters of MDMA into the state. MDMA 

generally is transported into Utah from California, 

Colorado, Nevada, Washington, and Canada via 

package delivery services, couriers aboard commercial aircraft and, to a lesser extent, in private 

and rental vehicles. In 2001 federal law enforcement authorities in Provo seized 110,000 MDMA 

tablets that were transported from the Netherlands 

to Provo via a package delivery service. In July 

2000 during a routine traffic stop on I-15, Utah 

Highway Patrol officers seized 1,360 MDMA tablets and arrested two individuals who transported 

the drug in a private vehicle from Seattle to Orem.

Caucasian and Israeli criminal groups and 

local independent dealers distribute wholesale 

quantities of MDMA in Utah. Wholesale distributors sell MDMA to Caucasian teenagers and college students who typically distribute retail 

quantities of the drug. In May 2001 law enforcement officers in Davis County seized 91 tablets of 

MDMA and arrested a local Caucasian man who 

attempted to sell the drug to an undercover federal agent. The arrest closed an 8-month investigation, during which DEA determined that the 

man was responsible for approximately 80 percent of the MDMA distributed in Utah. The 

defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 

more than 5 years in federal prison. According to 

DEA, in FY2002 MDMA sold for $7,000 per 500 

dosage units and $150,000 per 25,000 dosage 

units. MDMA usually is distributed to individuals 

at raves, nightclubs, and other parties, where it 

sells for $20 to $30 per dose.

Operation Red Tide: International 

MDMA Syndicate Dismantled

An 18-month global investigation ending in 

November 2000 named Operation Red Tide 

and involving federal law enforcement authorities including the DEA, FBI, IRS, U.S. Customs Service, and state and local authorities 

resulted in the seizure of 3,127 pounds of 

MDMA and the arrests of 22 individuals in six 

U.S. cities and four European countries. The 

operation involved a multiethnic, transnational 

criminal organization that transported and distributed MDMA throughout the United States.

The MDMA was transported via commercial aircraft from England, France, Germany, Italy, and 

the Netherlands to various cities including Salt 

Lake City, Anchorage, Phoenix, Los Angeles, 

Boston, and Las Vegas. In these cities MDMA 

was sold to retail distributors and abusers. 

Source: DEA.

Sets

In Utah some distributors of club drugs, specifically MDMA, have created sets—loosely 

organized criminal groups. These sets usually 

consist of three levels. The third level sets typically are composed of affluent individuals who 

purchase 1,000 or more tablets per week for 

distribution and personal use. These sets 

retain significant quantities of the drug to host 

trancemission parties; however, they sell 

some of the drug to second level sets composed of individuals who participate in the 

club or rave scene. Most of the MDMA purchased by second level sets is distributed to 

first level sets, which include teenagers and 

college students; however, small quantities of 

the drug also are retained for personal use.

Source: Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
National Drug Intelligence Center

27

LSD

The distribution and abuse of LSD (lysergic 

acid diethylamide) pose a minimal threat to Utah. 

LSD, also known as acid, boomers, and yellow sunshine, is a hallucinogen that induces abnormalities 

in sensory perceptions. The effects of LSD are 

unpredictable depending upon the amount taken, 

the environment in which it is abused, and the 

abuser’s personality, mood, and expectations. Abusers may feel the effects for up to 12 hours. The 

physical effects include dilated pupils, elevated 

body temperature, increased heart rate and blood 

pressure, sweating, loss of appetite, nausea, numbness, weakness, insomnia, dry mouth, and tremors. 

Two long-term disorders associated with LSD use 

are persistent psychosis and hallucinogen persisting 

perception disorder (flashbacks). LSD typically is 

taken orally.

LSD is available in powder and liquid forms, 

in tablets or capsules, on pieces of blotter paper 

that absorb the drug, and on small candies. It is 

available primarily at raves, bars, and nightclubs 

in large cities and college towns in Utah. Most 

abusers are high school and college age individuals. Some abusers hide liquid LSD in breath 

mint vials or eyedrop bottles. Law enforcement 

agencies in several jurisdictions report that LSD 

also is applied to cookies, candies, and breakfast 

cereal. According to the DEA Denver Division, 

LSD blotters and tablets are the most common 

forms available. In Salt Lake City in FY2000, 

wholesale quantities of LSD sold for $250 per 

100 dosage units, and retail quantities sold for 

$5 per dosage unit, according to DEA.

Most LSD distributed in Utah is produced in 

California and Oregon and typically is transported 

into the state via package delivery services as well 

as in private and rental vehicles. Caucasian criminal groups and local independent dealers and, to a 

lesser extent, college and high school age individuals are the primary distributors of LSD in Utah. 

Law enforcement respondents to the National 

Drug Threat Survey 2001 in Ogden, Orem, and 

Salt Lake City reported that Caucasian local independent dealers are the primary wholesale and 

retail distributors of LSD.

GHB and Analogs

The threat to Utah from GHB (gammahydroxybutyrate) and its analogs is relatively low. 

GHB is a depressant that occurs naturally in the 

body and is necessary for full functioning of the 

brain and central nervous system. GHB analogs 

(GBL, BD, GHV, and GVL) are drugs that possess 

chemical structures that closely resemble GHB. 

GHB and its analogs are also known as liquid 

MDMA, scoop, grievous bodily harm, and Georgia 

home boy. Overdoses can occur quickly; some signs 

include drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness, impaired breathing and, ultimately, 

death. Abusers also can experience insomnia, anxiety, tremors, and sweating. Using the drug simultaneously with methamphetamine increases the risk of 

seizure. GHB and its analogs are eliminated from 

Dosing

During raves in the Rocky Mountain region, if 

ravers suspect that an individual is an undercover law enforcement officer, they may “dose” 

that individual—approach from behind and 

spray the person with water containing liquid 

drugs, primarily LSD, that are easily absorbed 

through the skin. Ravers will occasionally dose 

themselves and each other at the end of a rave 

as an ovation to the departing disc jockey. 

Retail distributors of LSD also use an eyedropper to place the drug directly on the tongue of 

the purchaser in the region.

Source: Colorado Regional Club Drug Seminar 2001.
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

28

the body quickly, making it difficult for treatment 

providers to detect. The drug increasingly is 

involved in poisonings, overdoses, drug-facilitated 

sexual assaults, and fatalities nationwide.

GHB and its analogs are available in Utah primarily at colleges and universities, social venues 

such as bars, nightclubs, raves, strip clubs and, to 

a lesser extent, some private trancemission parties. Young adults, usually Caucasian, are the 

principal producers, distributors, and abusers of 

the drug. Recipes and do-it-yourself kits for GHB 

production are available on several Internet sites. 

GHB is produced in Utah. A recent trend in GHB 

production involves producing the analog BD 

(1,4-butanediol), which metabolizes into GHB in 

the body after ingestion. In FY2001 GHB sold for 

$30 per dosage unit in the Salt Lake City area, 

according to DEA.

Diverted Pharmaceuticals

The abuse of diverted pharmaceuticals poses a 

significant and growing threat to Utah. The most 

commonly diverted pharmaceuticals in Utah are 

benzodiazepines, hydrocodones, oxycodones, and 

Ritalin. Diverted pharmaceuticals are widely 

abused throughout Utah. However, abuse of these 

drugs may be underreported due to their general 

social acceptance. The abuse of diverted pharmaceuticals does not appear to be limited to any 

particular ethnic, age, gender, or socioeconomic 

group in the state.

Forged and fraudulent prescriptions remain 

the most common diversion methods used 

throughout the state. Physicians and healthcare 

professionals directly divert prescription medications for themselves and for others by overprescribing or using other prescription scams. 

Pharmaceuticals are also frequently stolen from 

medical facilities, pharmacies, wholesalers, and 

warehouses, often by the employees of these 

establishments. According to the Iron/Garfield 

Counties Task Force, Ritalin (methylphenidate) is 

distributed by some of the parents of school age 

children who have a prescription for the drug. 

Diverted pharmaceuticals typically sell for $15 or 

less per tablet. Benzodiazepines (Xanax, Librium, 

Valium) sell for $2 to $5 per tablet, hydrocodones 

(Lorcet, Lortab, Vicodin) for $2 to $15 per tablet, 

and oxycodones (OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, 

Tylox) for $2 to $15 per tablet.

GHB-Facilitated Sexual Assault

In April 2000 a 23-year-old Orem man was sentenced to 40 days in jail after he pleaded guilty 

to sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman 

who had ingested a drink containing GHB. 

According to local law enforcement officials, the 

woman was led to believe that consuming GHB 

would allow her to enjoy the effects of being 

drunk without consuming alcohol.

Source: Salt Lake City Police Department Narcotics Unit.

OxyContin Abuse

The diversion and abuse of OxyContin, a brand 

name for the narcotic painkiller oxycodone, have 

emerged as a significant and growing drug 

threat to many rural communities in Utah. Law 

enforcement agencies in Carbon, Emery, and 

Kane Counties report that OxyContin abuse has 

emerged as a growing problem in those counties. OxyContin is formulated to be taken orally 

and to have controlled-release effects; however, 

some abusers chew the tablets to destroy the 

controlled-release coating; others crush them 

and snort the powder or dissolve the powder in 

water and inject the solution. According to the 

Utah Department of Occupational and Professional Licensing, in 2001 there were six OxyContin overdose deaths statewide. OxyContin is 

acquired by abusers via prescription fraud or 

through street distributors, but some addicted 

abusers in other areas of the country have 

resorted to robbing pharmacies, often at gunpoint, to procure it.
National Drug Intelligence Center

29

Outlook

Methamphetamine likely will remain the most 

serious drug threat to Utah. The abuse of the drug 

will continue to remain high throughout the state, 

increasingly nominally. Violence associated with 

distribution and abuse of methamphetamine will 

remain relatively high in Utah and will likely 

increase as rival distributors compete for turf. 

Local methamphetamine producers will continue 

to use violence to protect their laboratories. In 

addition, methamphetamine producers will continue to illegally procure essential and precursor 

chemicals despite stringent state and federal regulations and reporting requirements. Similarly, as 

availability of red phosphorus decreases, the use of 

hypophosphorous acid in the production of methamphetamine may increase throughout Utah. Mexican criminal groups will remain the dominant 

transporters and wholesale and midlevel distributors of the drug in the state, while Mexican and 

Caucasian local independent dealers continue to be 

the primary retail distributors of methamphetamine 

in Utah.

Heroin will continue to be a drug threat to 

Utah. Mexican black tar heroin and brown powdered heroin will remain the most prevalent types 

available throughout the state. Both types of heroin will be increasingly available in ounce and 

multiounce quantities in the metropolitan areas of 

the state, primarily Salt Lake City. Mexican criminal groups will remain the predominant transporters and midlevel distributors of the drug across the 

state, while street gangs will continue to dominate 

the retail distribution of the drug in the metropolitan areas of Utah.

Cocaine will remain a relatively significant 

drug threat to Utah. The abuse of cocaine likely 

will continue to decrease as abusers continue to 

switch to methamphetamine. Deaths in which 

cocaine is a factor also may decrease with the 

reduced abuse of the drug. The drug will remain 

readily available in the metropolitan areas of 

Utah. Retail distributors, primarily street gangs, 

and local abusers will continue to commit violent 

crimes in Utah. Mexican criminal groups will 

continue to dominate the transportation and 

wholesale distribution of powdered cocaine in the 

state. Street gangs will remain the primary retail 

distributors of powdered and crack cocaine 

throughout the state, primarily in its metropolitan 

areas. Local independent dealers also will continue to distribute retail quantities of powdered 

cocaine in Utah.

Marijuana will remain a drug threat to Utah. 

Marijuana will continue to be the most widely 

abused and available illicit drug in the state. The 

availability of domestic and Canada-produced 

high potency marijuana will increase to meet 

demand for the drug in some areas of the state, 

primarily Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Provo. Similarly, indoor grows that produce high potency 

marijuana will increasingly be encountered and 

seized throughout Utah, generally in metropolitan 

areas. Caucasian criminal groups and local independent dealers will remain the primary producers, transporters, and distributors of high potency 

marijuana in Utah, while Mexican criminal 

groups will continue to dominate the transportation and distribution of marijuana produced in 

Mexico and California.

MDMA will become a more serious drug 

threat to Utah, as law enforcement authorities and 

healthcare providers indicate that it is becoming a 

“gateway” drug—a drug that may lead individuals 

to the abuse of other illicit drugs—among youth 

in the state. The drug will become increasingly 

“mainstreamed” (perceived as safe or innocuous). 
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

30

The median age of Utah’s population (26) coupled 

with the demographic of the typical MDMA 

abuser also may contribute to the increased abuse 

of the drug in the state. GHB and LSD will remain 

low drug threats to Utah due to the limited abuse 

of the drugs. The drugs’ availability will continue 

to be limited to some colleges and universities, 

nightclubs, and raves. Some distributors of GHB 

may begin to produce the drug in the state in order 

to increase their revenues.

Diverted pharmaceuticals will remain a significant abuse problem in Utah. The ready availability of pharmaceuticals over the Internet will 

likely lead to increased availability in the state as 

abusers seek alternative methods of acquiring 

these drugs. Increased abuse of pharmaceuticals 

will likely lead to increased violence, including 

pharmacy robberies and home invasions, as abusers and distributors attempt to procure drugs.
National Drug Intelligence Center

31

Sources

State and Regional

Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office

Box Elder Metro North Narcotics and Gang Strike Force

BYU NewsNet

Cache/Rich Drug Task Force

Carbon Metro Drug Task Force

Central Utah Narcotics Strike Force

Colorado Regional Club Drug Seminar 2001

Davis County Metro Narcotics Task Force

Deseret News

Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office

Emery County Drug Task Force

Grand/San Juan County Narcotic Task Force

Iron/Garfield Counties Narcotics Task Force

Juab County/Nephi City Drug Task Force

Kane County Task Force

Lehi Police Department

Logan Police Department

Morgan County Sheriff’s Office

Ogden Police Department

Ogden/Weber Metro Gang Unit

St. George Police Department

Gang Unit

Salt Lake Area Gang Project

Salt Lake City International Airport Interdiction Unit
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

32

Salt Lake City Police Department

Salt Lake County Metro Narcotics Task Force

Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office

The Salt Lake Tribune

Standard-Examiner

State of Kansas

Kansas Highway Patrol

State of Utah

Department of Commerce

Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing

Department of Corrections

Department of Human Services

Division of Substance Abuse

Substance Abuse and Anti-Violence Coordinating Council

Department of Public Safety

State Bureau of Investigation

Utah Highway Patrol

State of Wyoming

Division of Criminal Investigation

Southeast Enforcement Team

Uintah Basin Narcotics Strike Force

Utah Club Drug Summit

Utah County Major Crimes Task Force

Utah News KSL-TV

Wasatch Area Drug Enforcement Network

Wasatch Range Task Force

Washington County Narcotics Task Force

Weber/Morgan Drug Task Force

West Jordan Police Department
National Drug Intelligence Center

33

National and International

Executive Office of the President

Office of National Drug Control Policy

High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area

Rocky Mountain

International Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigators Association

U.S. Department of Agriculture

National Forest Service

U.S. Department of Commerce

Census Bureau

U.S. Department of Defense

Department of the Army

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Youth Risk Behavior Survey

National Institutes of Health

National Institute on Drug Abuse

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Office of Applied Studies

Drug Abuse Warning Network

National Household Survey on Drug Abuse

Treatment Episode Data Set

U.S. Department of Justice

Drug Enforcement Administration

Dallas Division

Denver Division

Salt Lake City Resident Office

Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program

El Paso Intelligence Center

National Clandestine Laboratory Seizure Database

Operation Convoy

Operation Jetway

Operation Pipeline

Federal-wide Drug Seizure System

Metro Narcotics Task Force

Federal Bureau of Investigation
Utah Drug Threat Assessment

34

National Institute of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program

U.S. Sentencing Commission

Other

Associated Press

Columbia University

National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse
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