Drug trafficking is a serious problem that affects the health, safety, and well-being of millions of Americans. According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) use various modes of transportation, such as vehicles, trucks, parcels, railcars, and ships, to smuggle drugs across the country and distribute them to local markets.
Some states, such as Indiana, are more vulnerable to drug trafficking activities due to their geographic location, population density, and transportation infrastructure.
In this article, we will examine the drug threat in Indiana, focusing on one city that has been named the high drug trafficking area in the state by the federal government. We will also discuss the causes and consequences of drug trafficking, as well as the efforts to combat it.
Allen County: A High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
In September 2019, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) announced the addition of Allen County to the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. The HIDTA program is a federal initiative that provides funding and coordination to enhance the capabilities of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations and networks.
Allen County, located in northeastern Indiana, is the third most populous county in the state, with an estimated population of 379,299 in 2019. The county seat is Fort Wayne, the second largest city in Indiana. Allen County is a major transportation hub, with several interstates, highways, railways, and airports connecting it to other parts of the state and the country.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana, Allen County has experienced a significant increase in drug trafficking and related crimes, such as violence, overdoses, and deaths, in recent years.
The primary drugs of concern in Allen County are opioids, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. The main sources of these drugs are Mexican DTOs, which use the county as a transshipment point for drugs destined for other areas in the Midwest.
The DTOs also recruit local gangs and individuals to distribute the drugs at the street level. Some of the drugs are also produced locally, such as methamphetamine, which is manufactured in clandestine labs, and marijuana, which is grown indoors or outdoors.
The Impact of Drug Trafficking on Indiana
Drug trafficking has a devastating impact on the lives of individuals, families, and communities in Indiana. According to the Indiana Department of Health, drug overdose deaths in Indiana have been on the rise for almost two decades, with a loss of more than 15,000 Hoosiers due to drug overdoses since 1999.
In 2019, Indiana saw an age-adjusted drug overdose rate of 26.6 per 100,000, a statistically significant 4% increase from 2018. The Indiana 2019 rate was also statistically higher than the national rate of 21.6 per 100,000. The primary driver of overdose deaths is opioids, such as prescription painkillers, heroin, and fentanyl, which accounted for almost three out of the four Hoosiers who died from an overdose each day in 2019.
Drug trafficking also contributes to other social and economic problems, such as crime, violence, corruption, poverty, unemployment, homelessness, and disease. For example, in December 2023, seven people were federally indicted in connection with a dog fighting ring and drug trafficking in central Indiana.
The defendants were accused of conspiring to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana, as well as engaging in illegal gambling and animal cruelty. The investigation revealed that the defendants used the proceeds from drug trafficking to finance their dog fighting activities, which involved breeding, training, and fighting pit bulls in brutal and inhumane conditions.
The Response to Drug Trafficking in Indiana
The state of Indiana has taken various measures to address the drug threat and its consequences. Some of these measures include:
1.) Enhancing the surveillance and monitoring of drug trends, outbreaks, and fatalities, through the Drug Overdose Prevention (DOP) team of the Indiana Department of Health.
2.) Expanding the access and availability of naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses, to first responders, law enforcement, health care providers, and community members.
3.) Implementing the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), a database that tracks the prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances, to prevent prescription drug abuse and diversion.
4.) Supporting the prevention, treatment, and recovery of substance use disorder (SUD), through various programs and initiatives, such as the Next Level Recovery Indiana, the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, and the Indiana Recovery Network.
5.) Participating in the HIDTA program, which facilitates the collaboration and coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations and networks.
6.) Prosecuting and sentencing drug traffickers and related offenders, through the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, as well as the Indiana Attorney General’s Office.
Conclusion
Drug trafficking is a complex and multifaceted problem that poses a serious threat to the health, safety, and well-being of Indiana and its residents. Allen County, a major transportation hub in northeastern Indiana, has been designated as a high drug trafficking area by the federal government, due to its role as a transshipment point for drugs supplied by Mexican DTOs and distributed by local gangs and individuals.
Drug trafficking has resulted in a surge of drug overdose deaths, especially involving opioids, as well as other social and economic problems, such as crime, violence, corruption, poverty, unemployment, homelessness, and disease.
The state of Indiana has responded to the drug threat and its consequences by enhancing the surveillance and monitoring of drug trends, expanding the access and availability of naloxone, implementing the PDMP, supporting the prevention, treatment, and recovery of SUD, participating in the HIDTA program, and prosecuting and sentencing drug traffickers and related offenders.
However, more efforts are needed to address the root causes and risk factors of drug trafficking and SUD, as well as to promote the protective factors and resilience of individuals, families, and communities.