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The Opioid Threat in the 

Chicago Field Division 

DEA-CHI-DIR-023-17 JUNE 2017 DEA 

Intelligence 

Report 

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Executive Summary 

All available indicators—including investigative intelligence, case initiations, seizure and

arrest data, abuse indicators, and anecdotal information—indicate that opioids present

the greatest illegal drug threat to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Chicago 

Field Division (CFD), which encompasses the states of Indiana, Minnesota, North Dakota,

Wisconsin, and the Northern and Central U.S. Federal Judicial Districts in Illinois. Although

this threat is affecting urban and suburban areas most severely, it has been expanding 

throughout almost every state. 

In the past, a discussion of drug threats commonly would be conducted individually about

specific drugs, such as cocaine or heroin. However, recent developments with regard to the 

heroin threat dictate that the terms of the discussion must change. Previous discussions 

centered around the narrow diversion, heroin, or fentanyl threats; today’s discussion must 

be broadened to include all opioids—drugs, regardless of origin, that induce narcotic-like

symptoms, including fentanyl, fentanyl-related compounds, and U-47700. Because these 

other drugs are available domestically and quickly are becoming integral to the heroin

problem, the goal of this report is to describe the opioid threat as a whole. Nonetheless, it

is important to keep in mind that the driving force within this threat has been, and is likely to

remain, heroin. 

trafficked and used. 

• In addition to the relatively

steady supply of the drug

produced in South America, 

production of heroin in

Mexico has surged over the

past 5 years and it is now

the primary source country

for heroin throughout

much of the United States,

ensuring that a steady

supply of high-quality heroin

is available. 

• This increase in production

has strengthened the

position of Mexican cartels as primary heroin suppliers to the United States.

• Transportation networks and distribution routes established by Mexican drug 

trafficking organizations (DTOs) continue to be effective ways of bringing this product 

to illicit markets within the United States. 

• Retail-level heroin distribution in most U.S. cities is controlled by street gangs that

have established relationships with Mexican sources of supply. 

• The sourcing, smuggling, and distribution of the newer, non-heroin opioids are a 

novel phenomenon, so a reliable supply chain has not yet been fully developed.

• Creation of the ideal mixture of opioid and diluent and/or adulterant, which generates

a maximum level of physiological effects within the therapeutic index (i.e., the 

difference between an effective dose and lethal dose), has yet to be achieved, 

necessitating that the experimentation process will continue to evolve.

• Until the prices for diverted pharmaceuticals decrease substantially, high-quality 

heroin available at $10 U.S. currency (USC) per dosage unit will remain an attractive

solution to users of other opioids.

• Increasingly, heroin users are unaware of the actual drug in the retail packages they 

purchase so they may not know that they are ingesting another opioid. Nonetheless,

there are increasing anecdotal reports of users specifically seeking out other opioids,

specifically fentanyl. 

There are a number of factors that ensure that heroin will remain the primary opioid 

Narcotics Defined 

Also known as “opioids,” the term “narcotic” comes

from the Greek word for “stupor” and originally

referred to a variety of substances that dulled the

senses and relieved pain. Although some people

still refer to all drugs as “narcotics,” today “narcotic”

refers to opium, opium derivatives, and their semisynthetic substitutes. A more current term for these 

drugs, with less uncertainty regarding its meaning,

is “opioid.” Examples include the illicit drug

heroin and pharmaceutical drugs like OxyContin®, Vicodin®, codeine, morphine, methadone, and

fentanyl. 
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Details 

CFD STATE THREAT SUMMARIES 

Illinois 

Heroin availability in Illinois has surged in recent years, as indicated by record volumes of

heroin seized by law enforcement authorities. Demand for heroin remains high in large

part due to an abundant supply and low pricing, which in turn filters the drug into more

rural areas of Illinois, especially as individuals addicted to prescription opioids transition to

heroin in search of a cheaper and more readily available opiate. As a result, and reflecting a

nationwide trend, several Illinois counties have experienced a rise in heroin-related overdose 

deaths in recent years. Chicago serves as the primary distribution hub for opioids and other

illegal drugs in the region, with the West Side of Chicago being the region’s most significant 

opioid market. This market is easily accessible using Interstate 290, a route that has been

dubbed “the heroin highway.” The vast majority of illegal drugs moving into the region are

smuggled across the U.S.–Mexico border and transshipped primarily via tractor-trailers,

commercial bus lines, personal vehicles, and parcel delivery services to the Midwest. Drug

transporters continue to employ sophisticated concealment techniques to minimize the

risk of seizure. Chicago is one of the nation’s largest trucking centers due to easy access 

to several U.S. interstates and the presence of numerous trucking depots throughout the

metropolitan area. These factors help make Chicago both an ideal transportation hub for

moving drugs from the Southwest Border to the Midwest, as well as a consolidation point for

drug proceeds destined for the Southwest Border and Mexico. 

Indiana 

Heroin availability in Indiana remains at high levels, as evidenced by a 43 percent increase

in seizures during the last 6 months of 2015 when compared to the previous 6-month period.

The southern part of the state receives Mexican brown heroin directly from the Southwest

Border and Texas via Hispanic trafficking groups, often as part of poly-drug shipments. 

White heroin is obtained from sources in Chicago and other markets in neighboring states.

Throughout Southern Indiana, the Indianapolis District Office (DO) has seen an increase of 

clusters of heroin-related overdoses 

in specific areas, particularly

in Bartholomew and Jennings

counties. Indiana continues 

to experience an increase in

the use of heroin as users shift 

from abusing pharmaceuticals.

This shift has been the result 

of various factors, including law

enforcement authorities revoking

the licenses of several doctors 

who were large prescribers of pain

medications to patients without a

legitimate medical need. Although

users are shifting from abusing

pharmaceuticals to abusing heroin,

prescription drugs still continue to

be diverted within the Indianapolis

DO’s area of responsibility. From 

2013 through 2015, Indiana

was the number one state in the 

Combatting the Opioid Epidemic in Northwest

Indiana 

In response to a growing number of overdoses in

Northwest Indiana, the Lake County High Intensity

Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), in conjunction with 

DEA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Porter 

County Sheriff’s Department established the Heroin 

Response Project (HRP). This effort was initiated 

to collect and analyze information from the scenes

of overdoses, with the end goal of identifying and

prosecuting sources of supply. As of May 2017, the 

initiative has analyzed information from 279 drug

overdoses, included 75 fatal overdoses, which

led to the identification of 68 retail-level dealers 

and uncovered links to 42 ongoing investigations.

In addition, the effort has opened lines of 

communication among those impacted by the

opioid epidemic in Northwest Indiana. 

country for pharmacy robberies. Due to increased enforcement and awareness, pharmacy

robberies throughout Indiana were cut in half in 2016. Nevertheless, in 2016, Indiana was

ranked second nationwide for pharmacy robberies—a stark reminder that there is much

more work to do in this effort. 
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Wisconsin 

Most of the heroin distributed in Milwaukee is obtained from sources of supply in Chicago.

Traffickers from Milwaukee and surrounding areas often travel the approximately 90 miles 

to Chicago one or more times per week to obtain heroin from Hispanic or African American 

sources of supply. These traffickers usually obtain quantities between 50 and 100 grams 

each trip to bring back to Wisconsin for retail distribution. Traffickers from Northern 

Wisconsin (i.e., Green Bay) often travel to Milwaukee to obtain their heroin and then travel

back to their region for further distribution. Traffickers often charge considerably higher 

prices in many northern areas of the state. Chicago sources of supply also travel from

Chicago to Milwaukee and other areas as well, in order to take advantage of the higher

prices commanded for heroin in Wisconsin. This increase in heroin abuse in Wisconsin 

has affected many rural areas that were previously unfamiliar with heroin overdoses and 

deaths. The increased heroin activity also collaterally affects many of these communities 

due to the subsequent rise in property crimes, thefts, and break-ins. Many communities

around the state have organized heroin “summits” to raise awareness of the problem and

to assist communities in coming up with strategies to combat this problem. Many of the

heroin users report switching to heroin after initially becoming addicted to prescription

opioids and made the switch due to the high availability and cheaper price of heroin. 

Minnesota 

Heroin distribution and use have increased significantly in Minnesota, based on reports

from hospital emergency rooms, first responders, and medical examiners throughout the

state. The increase in heroin use has been noted primarily in the greater Minneapolis/St.

Paul area, with notable increases in use in St. Cloud, Duluth, Rochester, and various Native 

American tribal lands. Many heroin users in Minnesota report that their addiction began

with prescription opioids, but were quickly enticed by the low cost and high availability

of heroin. Current investigations indicate that diversion of OxyContin® and Vicodin® 

continues to be a problem in Minnesota. Additionally, as of June 13, 2017, Carfentanilrelated overdose deaths have primarily occurred in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan

area with 10 overdose deaths in the metropolitan area and one overdose death in Southern

Minnesota since January 30, 2017. Carfentanil has a clinical potency 10,000 times that

of morphine and 100 times that of fentanyl. Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than

morphine. 

North Dakota 

Heroin is readily available throughout the State of North Dakota. Sources of information 

controlled by state and local law enforcement agencies report an increase in demand for

heroin over recent years. According to these sources of information, many local, streetlevel methamphetamine distributors are now attempting to develop criminal relationships

with heroin sources of supply in an attempt to cash in on the increased demand for

heroin. Some heroin abusers in the Fargo area report switching from high-priced opioid

analgesic prescription pills such as oxycodone to heroin because heroin is easily obtained

and is cheaper than prescription drugs. This increased demand for heroin is evident in 

the increase in the number of heroin seizures, as well as the quantities of heroin seized

throughout the state. North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) reporting shows

that the number of heroin exhibits seized nearly doubled from 2013 to 2014. In addition to 

the threat of heroin, there has been a significant increase in the amount of fentanyl abuse

throughout North Dakota, leading to an inordinate number of fentanyl overdose deaths

throughout the state. 

ORGANIZATIONAL THREAT 

The CFD’s most significant organizational threat is posed by Mexican DTOs that dominate 

the wholesale supply of illegal drugs to the region. In order to move drugs to Chicago

and the surrounding states, Mexican cartels often employ a series of intermediaries

who oversee the shipment of drugs across the Southwest Border and facilitate sales to 
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wholesale and mid-level customers. These key intermediaries are most often based in

the United States, but they maintain close relationships with family members or associates

in Mexico involved in cartel operations. For cartel leadership, these individuals are

very beneficial not only due to their ability to broker drug deals and facilitate smuggling

operations, but also because they help insulate cartel members in Mexico by assuming a

majority of the risk and thwarting law enforcement’s efforts to directly trace the supply of 

drugs back to sources in Mexico. 

Chicago-based street gangs, with an estimated membership of over 100,000 in the

metropolitan area, serve as mid-level and retail-level distributors of illegal drugs in the

city. In addition, Chicago street gangs are actively involved in drug transportation and

distribution to associated gang members and independent dealers in other states. For 

example, the Black P Stones, Latin Kings, and Latin Dragons are among the street gangs 

in Northwest Indiana that are heavily involved in drug distribution. Street gangs pose a

multi-faceted threat to law enforcement agencies in the region, as many of the gangs that

are most heavily involved in heroin distribution are also responsible for a significant portion

of violent crime in the area. It is important to note that most of the drug arrests effected in 

the CFD result in the seizure of weapons and more than one drug—strong evidence of the

poly-drug and violent nature of drug trafficking in general—and retail drug sales operations 

specifically—within the Division. 

Diverted pharmaceutical opioids, namely hydrocodone and oxycodone, are obtained and

distributed in a number of ways, such as improper prescribing practices by physicians,

“doctor shopping” (going to a number of doctors to obtain prescriptions) by opioid users,

theft and forgery of prescriptions, theft from pharmacies or pharmacy staff, and illegal 

internet pharmacy purchases. Some of the groups that are involved in obtaining and

selling diverted pharmaceuticals are well organized and use a variety of methods to obtain

prescription opioids. Due to the demand for opiates, some dealers traditionally involved

in the sale of heroin also distribute pharmaceutical opioids. Counterfeit pharmaceuticals

have also become more prevalent, and are typically obtained from vendors on the Dark

Web or from Mexican sources. Although counterfeit pills may have the color and marking

of a prescription opioid, they may contain dangerous amounts of harmful substances like

fentanyl, thereby posing significant risk to unsuspecting users. 

DIVISION-WIDE STATISTICS 

Seizures 

Continuing a multi-year trend, large quantities of heroin continue to be seized in the DEA

CFD. In fact, heroin seizures in the CFD have climbed to record levels with a total of 511.3 

kilograms of heroin seized to date in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 (see Figure 1). Large, multikilogram seizures—some of which total more than 20 kilograms—are now more common.

Typically, seizures of this magnitude cause some disruption in the supply of the drug to the 

street because of fluctuations in price, purity, or both. However, despite the increase in 

seizures, the price and purity of heroin in Chicago has remained relatively stable in recent

years, particularly at the retail-level, indicating that the effect of these seizures on the overall 

supply and availability of heroin in Chicago has been minimal. Most of the heroin available 

in Chicago is white, gray, or tan powder heroin that was either produced in or (to a lesser 

extent) transited through Mexico, and has an average retail-level purity of approximately 12

percent. 

Arrests 

CFD arrests on charges related to opioids have surged over the past 5 years, from 310 in

FY11 to a CFD-record 686 arrests in FY16 (see Figure 2). Opioid arrests during each of

the past 5 years were more than double the average number of such arrests during the

preceding 15 years, and opioid arrests exceeded cocaine arrests during each of the past 3 

years. Of similar concern are arrests associated with controlled prescription drugs, given

the link between the abuse of prescription opioids and heroin. Arrests associated with 
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Figure 1: Chicago Field Division heroin seizures.* 

Source: DEA 

Source: DEA 

Figure 2: Chicago Field Division arrests by drug.* 
Cannabis 

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Figure 3: DEA Chicago Field Division arrests

for controlled prescription drugs. 

Source: DEA 

controlled prescription drugs (CPD) peaked during FY14 and, while declining slightly in

FY15 and FY16, such arrests still were more than double the number in any preceding year

and increased 10 fold since FY05 (see Figure 3). It is likely that the increased number of

CPD arrests was directly related to the recent establishment of additional Tactical Diversion 

Squads within the CFD, as well as increased CPD activity. 

Figure 4: DEA Chicago Field Division case initiations.* 

Source: DEA 
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CASE INITIATIONS 

CFD case initiations similarly reflect the divergent trends in the traffic of cocaine and 

opioids, with the number of cocaine cases (combined cocaine and crack) declining nearly

70 percent over the past decade, and opioid cases quintupling (see Figure 4). Although the

number of methamphetamine cases initiated after FY05 declined substantially, they surged 

after FY11 and the number of methamphetamine cases initiated during FY16 was nearly 

double the number initiated a decade ago. Marijuana case initiations declined precipitously

between FY12 and FY16. 

ABUSE AND OVERDOSES 

Levels of opiod abuse in the CFD area of responsibility are among the highest in the

country. From 2006 to 2012, heroin was the second most common reason for Illinoisans

to enter state-funded treatment, after alcohol. In 2000, it was the fourth most common 

reason. Adding to the problem of heroin abuse in Illinois is a decline in treatment capacity. 

According to a recent study, in 2012, Illinois’s state funded treatment rate of 265 per 

100,000 population was the third most severe in the nation and over 50 percent lower than

the overall U.S. rate. Abuse among teenagers is also increasing at a troubling rate. In 

2007, 2.5 percent of Illinois youth reported using heroin in the past year, while that number 

increased to 3.8 percent in 2013, a nearly 50 percent increase in just 6 years. 

Several regions of the CFD area of responsibility have experienced an increase in heroinrelated overdoses in recent years. In addition to the increase in numbers, heroin overdoses 

have also become more widespread and occur more frequently in suburban and rural

areas of the Division. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, there were

844 heroin-related overdose deaths in Illinois in 2015, up from 583 deaths in 2013 and 711 

deaths in 2014. Over half of these deaths occurred in Chicago and its suburbs. 

According to the Indiana State Department of Health, in 2014—the most recent year for

which final data are available—452 individuals in Indiana died of drug overdoses involving

opioids, and 2,822 people visited emergency rooms due to opioid overdoses. In northwest 

Indiana, heroin-related overdose deaths have increased in both Lake and Porter Counties.

In Lake County, there have been 41 heroin-related overdose deaths to-date in 2016, 

compared to 43 in 2015 and 32 in 2014. In Porter County—an area with a population of

only 167,076 citizens according to the 2014 census—heroin-related deaths number 15 so

far in 2016, up from 12 deaths in both 2014 and 2015. 

In Minnesota, St. Louis County—in the northeastern corner of the state—leads the state in

opioid overdose deaths per capita at 13.4 deaths per 100,000 residents. Hennepin County

(Minneapolis) saw 8.4 deaths per 100,000 residents, and Anoka (Anoka) and Ramsey 

(St. Paul) Counties saw 6.1 deaths per 100,000 residents through 2015, according to the

Minnesota Department of Health. Overall, opioid drug overdose deaths in St. Louis County

increased by 108 percent between 2011 and 2015. In Hennepin County, there were 103 

opioid-related overdose deaths between January 1 and September 19, 2016. 

Opioid-related overdose deaths have also increased in the State of Wisconsin. According

to a report from the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office, 191 people died in 2016 

from opioid overdoses as of September 24, 2016, compared to 176 deaths during the same

time period in 2015. 

It should be noted that these increases in overdose deaths occurred concurrently with more

widespread distribution and use of naloxone (commonly known as Narcan®) to reverse

the effects of opioid overdoses which likely prevented numerous additional deaths. In 

response to the high amount of overdoses involving heroin and other opioids, an increasing

number of law enforcement agencies are training officers to administer naloxone. 

Naloxone may either be prescribed by a physician, or in some states, purchased over-thecounter in a pharmacy. 
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HEROIN SIGNATURE PROGRAM 

The Heroin Signature Program (HSP) was initiated in 1977 and examines the wholesale

aspect of the domestic heroin trafficking situation with the principal objective being to 

enhance DEA’s ability to identify the geographic source of heroin seized and purchased 

within the United States. In addition to identifying the heroin source area, the HSP provides 

intelligence on wholesale-level purity and tracks transition in heroin smuggling patterns into

and throughout the United States. 

The latest HSP results provide additional proof of the Mexican cartels’ dominance in the 

heroin trade. Recent improvements in the forensic analysis of heroin seizures by the DEA

Special Testing and Research Laboratory (STRL) have brought the prevalence of heroin 

from Mexico in the wholesale supply of the drug in the CFD area of responsibility into better

focus.1 The most significant recent improvement in HSP chemical analysis has been the 

fine-tuning of the identification of heroin produced in Mexico. STRL now identifies four 

distinct signatures of this heroin—the traditional black tar and brown powder forms, a white

powder modeled after the South American signature, and an additional classification for 

other refined or crudely manufactured heroin from Mexico. 

Prior to 2013, a significant portion of heroin seized in the CFD area of responsibility and

analyzed through the HSP was categorized as “unclassified” since it did not match one of 

the established signature profiles. With the establishment of new signatures since that time,

STRL has been able to ascertain source information for an increasing proportion of the 

heroin seized within the CFD area of responsibility (this includes heroin seizures by other

agencies in addition to DEA). Although unclassified exhibits accounted for as much as

one-half of the net weight of heroin analyzed in the past, the volume of unclassified exhibits

seized during 2013, 2014, and 2015 never exceed 1 percent. The fact that source of origin

for virtually all of the heroin seized now can be identified is a significant achievement and

allows for a greater level of detail to an analysis of the heroin threat. 

Mexican Heroin Signatures: 

MEX/T: Mexican black tar; previously classified as MEX.

MEX/BP: Mexican brown powder; previously classified as MEX.

MEX-SA: Mexican-South American; white heroin that originated from Mexico with 

processing signatures classified as South American; previously classified as UNK-AMW.

MEX: Refined or crudely manufactured heroin from Mexico. This classification is 

assigned when MEX/T, MEX/BP, or MEX-SA are not applicable.

INC-SA: Resembles SA heroin in appearance; processing signatures are characterized 

as South American with an “inconclusive” origin component where either Mexico or 

South America could be the origin. Extremely adulterated and diluted (low purity) heroin

is likely to generate this classification. 

Other Heroin Signatures:

SA: South American (primarily Colombia).

SEA: Southeast Asian (Burma (Myanmar) and Laos). 

SWA: Southwest Asian (Afghanistan and Pakistan). 

The percentage of Mexican heroin as it relates to the overall amount of heroin analyzed has

been exceedingly high for the past 3 years. In fact, of the heroin seized in the CFD area of

responsibility and analyzed under the HSP, heroin from Mexico accounted for 96.4 percent 

in 2014 and topped 98 percent in 2015. 

The average purity of Mexican heroin, as expected, varied considerably among the three

signatures identified (no Mexican brown heroin was identified recently). For example,

black tar heroin purity never averaged more than 40 percent over the past few years, while

Mexican SA purity averaged more than 80 percent in 2013 and 2014. The quality of this

Mexican SA heroin is on par with the white powder heroin produced in South America, 

Southeast Asia, or Southwest Asia. As shown in Figure 5, from 2014 through 2016 there 
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were a total of 102 heroin exhibits that were seized in the CFD area of responsibility and

analyzed through DEA’s Heroin Signature Program. The total weight of these exhibits was

434.5 kilograms, and the average purity was 66.7 percent. Mexico was the predominant

source area identified, with heroin from this area constituting nearly three-quarters of both

the number and weight of all the exhibits analyzed. 

With regard to the presence of SA heroin, investigative intelligence developed during the 

cases in which SA heroin was seized indicates that, although this heroin was produced in 

Colombia, Mexican DTOs were responsible for much of its importation and distribution. 

This forensic and investigative evidence conclusively shows that Mexican DTOs are the 

primary sources of supply for heroin distributed at the wholesale level within the CFD area

of responsibility. This is a radical change from previous years when heroin from a variety

of source areas, albeit in limited quantities, continued to be available and was trafficked by 

a variety of international DTOs. For example, heroin from South America dominated HSP

results between 2007 and 2012, but the volume of this heroin within the HSP has declined 

precipitously since then. In addition, there has been no confirmed seizure of heroin from

Southwest Asia within the area of responsibility since 2011, and none from Southeast Asia 

Figure 5: Source of origin for heroin seizures within the Chicago Field Division area of responsibility. 

ILLINOIS INDIANA MINNESOTA WISCONSIN 

SOURCE NO. GRAMS PURITY 

(%) NO. GRAMS PURITY (%) NO. GRAMS PURITY 

(%) NO. GRAMS PURITY 

(%) 

MEX 2 763.10 14.65 1 2,460.00 57.30 0 0.00 0 0 0.00 0.00 

MEX-SA 56 328,271.38 78.61 2 1,885.00 51.90 3 311.12 19.45 4 1,372.90 37.18 

MEX/T 1 983.14 50.40 2 9,000.00 42.50 3 7,113.87 27.53 1 17.27 32.00 

INC-SA 7 57,611.80 79.20 0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 1 43.80 14.70 

SA 9 19,914.50 74.28 1 2,000.00 67.90 1 351.50 38.40 2 96.60 70.95 

UNK 6 2,297.77 58.30 0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 

Total 81 409,841.69 74.57 6 15,345.00 52.33 7 7,776.49 26.65 8 1,530.57 42.16 

Source: DEA Heroin Signature Program 

since 2005, despite the fact that heroin from these sources

was seized regularly over the past three decades. 

Among the Mexican heroin exhibits, there was some

diversity in form, with black tar heroin (MEX/T) encountered

in four of the five CFD states along with the more numerous

MEX-SA exhibits. The average purity of Mexican heroin, as

expected, varied considerably among the three signatures

identified (no Mexican brown heroin was identified recently).

For example, black tar heroin purity averaged 35.7 percent,

while Mexican-SA purity averaged 73.2 percent. 

These results suggest that traffickers who have access to 

heroin from other source areas find it increasingly difficult 

to compete with Mexican cartels. This may be due to a

number of factors including changes in the availability of

opium poppy and heroin within those source areas, and the

challenges inherent in moving illegal contraband in large

volumes on a continual basis over long distances from 

CFD 

SOURCE NO. GRAMS PURITY 

(%) 

MEX 3 3,223.10 28.87 

MEX-SA 65 331,840.60 73.17 

MEX/T 7 17,114.28 35.71 

INC-SA 8 57,655.50 69.99 

SA 13 22,362.60 70.52 

UNK 6 2,297.77 58.03 

Total 102 434,493.75 66.71 

Source: DEA Heroin Signature 

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South America, Southeast Asia, and Southwest Asia to the United States. The competitive

advantages enjoyed by the Mexican cartels, such as improved heroin production capabilities

and well-established smuggling and transportation networks, almost guarantee that they

will remain the primary sources of supply for heroin in the CFD area of responsibility in

the future by supplying large amounts of high-quality heroin at prices that other traffickers 

cannot match. 

HEROIN DOMESTIC MONITOR PROGRAM 

The DEA Heroin Domestic Monitor Program (HDMP) is a retail-level heroin purchase 

program that provides data analysis about the price, purity, and geographic source of heroin 

sold at the retail level in 27 U.S. cities, including Chicago. 

Historically, the HDMP has shown the heroin market in Chicago to be diverse, with heroin 

from multiple source areas appearing on its streets on a regular basis. In fact, since 1988,

there have been 10 years when heroin from three source areas has been observed, and

3 years when heroin from all four source areas was found. This is indicative of a highly

competitive illicit market. During the 28 years of the program, there have been only 5 years

in which heroin from only one source area was found—that source area was South America 

and those years were relatively recent (between 2006 and 2013). This suggests that one

powerful player emerged as the victor in the competition over this lucrative market. 

Figure 6: Heroin Domestic Monitor Program results for Chicago (FY). 

2013 2014 2015 2016 

SOURCE NO. PURITY NO. PURITY NO. PURITY NO. PURITY 

MEX 1 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 

MEX-SA -- -- -- -- -- -- 5 15.2 

INC-SA -- -- -- -- 9 9.3 21 11.5 

SA 16 12.5 24 17.1 4 11.1 3 11.6 

SEA 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 

SWA 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 

UNK 22 11.9 14 16.4 17 11.0 9 12.5 

TOTAL 39 11.9 38 16.9 30 10.5 38 12.3 

Source: DEA Heroin Signature Program 

However, as with any indicator program, the results must be considered in light of other 

evidence. Investigative intelligence and arrest data show that, while the primary source

area for heroin available in Chicago during the mid-2000s was South America, the primary 

traffickers of this heroin were clearly from Mexico. As was observed during the late 1980s

and early 1990s with regard to control over the domestic cocaine market, Colombian

sources of supply began ceding control of the movement of heroin to Mexican cartels during

the early 2000s. For example, up until about 2004, when South American heroin was seized 

from Mexican citizens within the CFD area of responsibility, a Colombian national was 

almost inevitably the ultimate intended recipient of that heroin. However, in the following 
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years, seizures of South American heroin were affected almost exclusively within the 

Mexican trafficking infrastructure, with little (if any) involvement by Colombian nationals. In 

fact, only three Colombian citizens have been arrested on heroin-related charges in the

CFD since 2010 (none since 2014), while more than 300 Mexican citizens were arrested on

heroin charges during that time. 

Recent HDMP results mirror the results of the HSP provided above, confirming that a 

significant proportion of all the heroin sold on the streets of Chicago is sourced in Mexico.

Also, as observed with the HSP results, there have been no purchases of Southwest Asian 

heroin in Chicago since 2007 (one exhibit) and none of Southeast Asian heroin since 2003 

(one exhibit). 

FENTANYL AND NOVEL SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS 

No single drug captures the dynamics of all of the major threats to the CFD than fentanyl.

This drug appears as a diverted pharmaceutical, as a clandestinely manufactured

synthetic, and as a potentially lucrative substitute for heroin trafficked by Mexican cartels 

and distributed by street gangs. The lethality of this drug poses a significant threat to

heroin users who ingest the drug, emergency personnel who treat these users, and law

enforcement officers who handle it as evidence. Traffickers have identified new sources 

for fentanyl—to include sources in China—and are acquiring the drug through direct

purchase over the internet and shipment via express parcel delivery services. This 

new trafficking scheme poses additional challenges to law enforcement authorities by 

creating opportunities for criminals who traditionally never served as sources of supply

or who possibly were never even involved in illegal drug trafficking. The fentanyl threat

is exacerbated by the availability and use of fentanyl analogs and fentanyl-related

compounds, such as acetyl fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, and carfentanil. Fentanyl is most

commonly distributed in powder form either mixed with heroin or in pure form, and sold on

the street in areas where heroin has historically been available for purchase. Fentanyl has

also been pressed into counterfeit pharmaceutical pills and sold on the street. 

The threat posed by fentanyl became painfully evident in 2006 when more than 300 people

died of fentanyl-related overdoses in Cook County, Illinois, and hundreds more nationwide, 

due to the introduction of a large volume of fentanyl manufactured in a clandestine

laboratory in Mexico. This laboratory was identified during a CFD investigation of a

Mexican DTO, and upon alerting the authorities in Mexico, it was successfully dismantled. 

Since this one laboratory supplied all of the fentanyl sold on U.S. streets at that point,

fentanyl-related overdoses declined sharply. 

Fentanyl has again emerged as a serious threat as it has become increasingly available in

the CFD area of responsibility and across the country. When not dosed properly, fentanyl 

distribution can easily result in numerous overdoses. For example, over a 5 day period

in October 2015, there were approximately 95 overdoses, including four fatal overdoses,

attributed to fentanyl distributed on the West Side of Chicago. 

Fentanyl use has also led to an increase in overdose deaths in other areas of the Division.

For example, in North Dakota and western Minnesota, there were a total of 64 opioidrelated overdoses between January 1 and June 30, 2016. Thirteen of the 64 overdoses 

resulted in death, with eight of those deaths being attributed to fentanyl toxicity. In 

Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, fentanyl was identified as a contributing factor in 56 deaths 

in 2016, compared to 30 fentanyl-related deaths in all of 2015, 16 in 2014, 11 in 2013, and 

five in 2012. 

Overdose deaths related to fentanyl and fentanyl–related compounds have risen

significantly throughout the region in recent years. In Cook County, which encompasses 
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Figure 7: Submissions of fentanyl and fentanyl-related compounds to local/state/federal 

laboratories in the Chicago Field Division area of responsibility. 

ILLINOIS INDIANA WISCONSIN MINNESOTA NORTH DAKOTA 

2013 37 22 25 7 10 

2014 64 120 33 4 5 

2015 392 216 73 18 21 

2016* 1,332 391 203 35 72 

*Data for 2016 is Preliminary/Incomplete 

Source: NFLIS 

Chicago, in 2016, the number of opiate-related overdoses increased to 1,091, up from 649

opiate-related deaths in 2015. Of the 1,091 deaths in 2016, 562 were found to be related

to fentanyl or fentanyl–related compounds. (The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office 

began routine testing for fentanyl in June 2015) According to the Cook County Medical

Examiner, acrylfentanyl has been detected in 44 overdose deaths in between January 1 and 

April 8, 2017. By comparison, acrylfentanyl was only detected in 7 deaths in all of 2016. In

the suburban Chicago counties of DuPage and Will, fentanyl-related deaths rose from 10 to

35 in Will County, and from 15 deaths to 42 in DuPage County from 2015 to 2016. 

Seizures of fentanyl have increased significantly within the Division’s area of responsibility. 

Data from the National Forensic Laboratory Information System (NFLIS) indicate that

fentanyl seizures have increased significantly in each state in the Division between 2013

and 2016 (see Figure 7). Notably, fentanyl submissions increased sharply between 2015 

and 2016, especially in Illinois where submissions jumped from 392 to over 1,300 during

that time (data for 2016 are preliminary/incomplete). The majority of fentanyl seized in

the Division is seized in powder form, either combined with heroin or by itself. Forms of 

pharmaceutical-grade fentanyl, such as fentanyl patches, sprays, and lollipops, continue to

pose a risk for illicit diversion but account for only a small portion of the fentanyl seized in the

Division. 

In addition to fentanyl, other dangerous synthetic opioids such as U-47700 have also been

encountered within the Division area of responsibility. U-47700 is a novel synthetic opioid,

and its abuse parallels that of heroin, prescription opioids, and other synthetic opioids.

U-47700 may be found in powder form or pressed into a tablet to mimic a pharmaceutical

drug. Nationwide, U-47700 has been associated with at least 46 fatalities. According to the

NFLIS, U-47700 has been found in 15 drug exhibits submitted to local, state, and federal

drug laboratories in the CFD area of responsibility during 2016. Nine of the exhibits were 

submitted to laboratories in Wisconsin, while laboratories in Indiana (four exhibits) and

North Dakota (two exhibits) accounted for the remainder. In August 2016, two individuals in 

Bloomington, Indiana, overdosed and died from U-47700 that had been obtained over the

internet from a vendor in China. In response to the threat to public safety, on November 14, 

2016, DEA placed U-47700 into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. 

Fentanyl also poses a serious threat to law enforcement officers who may unknowingly be 

exposed to it. In some cases in the Division, undercover agents have made purchases of

what was thought to be heroin, only later to find out that it was fentanyl. Law enforcement 

officers are urged to use extreme caution when dealing with substances known or suspected 

to be fentanyl or fentanyl-related compounds. 
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PRESCRIPTION OPIOID DIVERSION 

The diversion of prescription opioids is a significant problem in the Division. The most 

commonly diverted prescription opioids include hydrocodone (such as Vicodin®),

hydromorphone (such as Dilaudid®), and oxycodone products (such as OxyContin® and 

Percocet®). A national increase in the use of methadone as a pain killer, rather than for 

addiction maintenance, has contributed to the rise of methadone use and abuse within

the Division. Primary methods of diversion are illegal sale and distribution by health care

professionals and workers, theft of prescription opioids by pharmacy employees, doctor

shopping, and the use of stolen or forged prescriptions. In addition, pharmacy robberies

continue to occur throughout the Division, and the problem of purchasing pharmaceuticals

over the internet has grown dramatically. 

The implementation of state-run Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP) in the

Division’s area of responsibility has proven to be effective in helping prevent diversion and 

abuse of prescription opioids. PDMPs allow prescribers and dispensers to view a patient’s 

prescription history in order to identify high-risk patients and make informed decisions on

how such patients are treated. If, for example, a physician observes that a patient has

obtained prescription opoids in a manner that indicates potential abuse, then he or she may

decline to issue a prescription and instead seek other forms of treatment or intervention.

Similarly, pharmacists may opt to consult with prescribing physicians on certain 

prescriptions after reviewing the patient’s prescription history. All five states in the Division 

area of responsibility have PDMPs in place, though the policies governing access to PDMP

and information sharing vary by state. Near real-time access to PDMP data has proven to 

be a useful tool for law enforcement in identifying cases of prescription opioid diversion. 

Figure 8. Amount of hydrocodone distributed in the

Chicago Field Division. 

Source: DEA 

Hydrocodone and oxycodone continue to be the two primary prescription opioids abused

within the Division’s area of responsibility. In October 2014, hydrocodone was moved

from Schedule III to Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act, which led to a drop 

in its availaibilty between 2015 and 2016. Data from DEA’s Automation of Reports and 

Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS), which monitors the flow of controlled substances

from the manufacturer to the retail distributor, show that the amount of hydrocodone 

distributed within the five states of the Division’s area of responsibility declined from 
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approximately 819.6 million dosage units in 2013 to 700.3 million dosage units in 2015.

The sharpest declines in the Division’s area of responsibility were observed in Illinois and 

Indiana (see Figure 8). 

Figure 9: Dosage units of hydrocodone and oxycodone dispensed in the 

Chicago Field Division — 2011-15. 

ILLINOIS INDIANA WISCONSIN MINNESOTA NORTH DAKOTA 

Hydrocodone 

2011 321,282,475 295,068,258 118,284,644 77,075,058 12,445,400 

2012 328,178,118 300,791,520 118,590,561 76,041,511 13,363,359 

2013 330,894,109 286,815,209 115,772,939 72,883,560 13,236,013 

2014 320,330,445 245,885,811 110,703,258 69,229,253 13,341,215 

2015 296,375,876 228,276,151 100,678,632 62,667,036 12,263,764 

Oxycodone 

2011 47,910,909 90,580,498 108,991,618 76,416,142 7,617,259 

2012 48,498,497 100,999,487 113,573,046 80,088,363 8,216,559 

2013 47,818,250 97,929,194 107,431,013 78,779,089 8,537,522 

2014 51,314,342 95,324,390 111,687,150 83,495,917 8,782,002 

2015 56,129,430 98,423,385 112,958,878 84,423,458 8,940,932 

Source: Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System 

Concurrent with the decrease in hydrocodone distribution, ARCOS data indicate that the 

amount of oxycodone available in the Division’s area of responsibility has increased slightly, 

from approximately 340.5 million dosage units in 2013 to 360.9 dosage units in 2015.

Notably, doctors in Wisconsin tend to prescribe oxycodone more than their counterparts 

in the Division’s other states. For example, in 2015 there were approximately 113 million 

dosage units of oxycodone and approximately 101 million dosage units of hydrocodone

dispensed in Wisconsin, whereas in other states the ratio of oxycodone to hydrocodone

heavily favors hydrocodone. In Illinois in 2015, there were approximately 296 million

dosage units of hydrocodone dispensed (almost triple the amount dispensed in Wisconsin)

compared to approximately 56 million dosage units of oxycodone (almost half of the amount 

dispensed in Wisconsin). See Figure 9 below for a complete summary of ARCOS data for 

hydrocodone and oxycodone for the Division’s area of responsibility. 

Seizure data from NFLIS mostly correlate with the trends in the supply of prescription

opioids (see Figure 10). For example, all states in the Division (with the exception of North

Dakota) have registered a decrease in the amount of hydrocodone submissions to forensic

laboratories for analysis, likely a result of the movement of hydrocodone to Schedule II of

the Controlled Substances Act. In addition, the preference for oxycodone in Wisconsin

is also apparent, with oxycodone submissions being significantly higher than that of

hydrocodone. Data for Minnesota and North Dakota show a similar trend in those states. 
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Figure 10: Submissions of Hydrocodone and Oxycodone to Local/State/Federal 

Laboratories in the Chicago Field Division Area of Responsibility. 

ILLINOIS INDIANA WISCONSIN MINNESOTA NORTH DAKOTA 

Hydrocodone 

2013 1,027 1,195 152 79 141 

2014 1,140 710 143 50 95 

2015 1,072 639 136 52 70 

2016* 930 462 78 35 97 

Oxycodone 

2013 247 572 338 115 151 

2014 283 479 292 75 183 

2015 316 441 259 113 181 

2016* 260 344 226 84 181 

*Data for 2016 is Preliminary/Incomplete; Query conducted on 1/17/2017 

Source: NFLIS 

Outlook 

At the wholesale level, there appear to be no viable competitors to Mexican DTOs that 

serve as the primary sources of supply of illegal drugs—including heroin—being abused

in the CFD. Similarly, street gangs are expected to maintain control of the retail-level drug 

market places within the major cities of the area of responsibility. The supply of a larger

volume of high-quality heroin is not receding and it is interesting to note that, despite the

higher availability of the drug, there has been neither a corresponding increase in purity at

the retail-level nor a massive drop in wholesale-level price, as would be expected. 

Prescription opioid abuse has resulted in thousands of deaths over the past several

years, and many current heroin users have admitted to switching to heroin after becoming

addicted to prescription pain medication. Therefore, an important component of attacking

the overall opioid threat is reducing the non-medical use of prescription opioids. This effort 

requires a mix of law enforcement efforts to arrest those involved in the illegal distribution 

of opioids, regulatory efforts to control the type and amounts of opioids available for 

medical use, and community engagement to educate the public and medical practitioners

on the dangers of opioid abuse. Although it may require several years for these efforts to 

yield noticeable results, they are critical in slowing the momentum of the opioid epidemic.

Recently, there have been some signs of progress, such as a reduction in the availability of 

hydrocodone after it was placed in Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act. As public

awareness and education on the dangers of opioid abuse expand across the country, 

in tandem with prudent regulation and aggressive law enforcement, there is hope that

additional signs of progress will follow. 
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The overall opioid threat is compounded by the reintroduction of fentanyl and novel

synthetic opioids into the illegal heroin market, as well as the continued abuse of

prescription opioids. Furthermore, the threat has grown more complex with the emergence

of China as a source of supply for synthetic opioids, as well as the employment of the

Dark Web to facilitate the distribution of opioids and other illegal substances. These 

developments have the potential to alter traditional distribution routes and suppliercustomer relationships. Historically, wholesale distributors operating in the United States 

have required a connection with a Mexican source of supply to acquire fentanyl and other

illegal drugs. With the emergence of the Dark Web, U.S.-based distributors no longer 

have to rely on Mexican sources of supply and can order synthetic opioids—most of which

are sourced in China—via underground markets and have them delivered through the

mail. Although the clandestine production of heroin and fentanyl in Mexico continues to

have the greatest impact on opioid abuse in the United States, the availability and abuse of

fentanyl-related compounds and powerful synthetic opioids such as U-47700, coupled with

the relative ease with which these substances can be ordered from sources in China or 

from independent vendors on the Dark Web, pose a growing threat to the country. 

1 DEA; The Heroin Signature Program and Heroin Domestic Monitor Program 2014 Reports, 

http://intranet/sites/nc/Reports/HSP%20and%20DMP%202014%20Reports.pdf. 

This product was prepared by the DEA Chicago Field Division. Comments and 

questions may be addressed to the Chief, Analysis and Production Section at

dea.onsi@usdoj.gov. For media/press inquiries call (202) 307-7977. 
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August 30, 2016