The new measures we re taking are designed to keep the Ecstasy problem from becoming a full-fledged epidemic. Over the past few years, Customs has seen an alarming increase in the volume of Ecstasy smuggled into the United States. Customs seizures of Ecstasy totaled roughly 750,000 doses in fiscal year 1998. Last fiscal year, Customs seized approximately 3 million doses of Ecstasy. In the first five months of this fiscal year alone, Customs has seized nearly 4 million doses of Ecstasy.
Profit is one of the driving forces behind the surge in Ecstasy traffic.
In Europe, Ecstasy tablets cost just a few pennies apiece to make. Because of this profit margin, international crime groups have become heavily involved in the Ecstasy trade. These syndicates are capable of smuggling huge quantities of Ecstasy. At the same time, demand for Ecstasy has surged among young people in this country. Urban locations remain the primary venues for raves, but suburban and rural communities are also encountering raves and the Ecstasy tablets associated with them.