66 Drug Trafficking Statistics & Facts In The U.S.A

Drug trafficking is a serious problem in the United States that has plagued the nation for several decades. From the illegal transport of drugs across the border to the manufacturing and distribution of narcotics within the country, drug trafficking is a complex issue that has far-reaching consequences. In this article, we will delve into the statistics of drug trafficking in the U.S.A.

Drug Trafficking Statistics in the U.S.A

• According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Mexico is the primary foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine to the United States.
• The DEA estimates that Mexican drug trafficking organizations are present in more than 1,000 U.S. cities.
• In 2019, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized over 68,000 pounds of cocaine at the U.S.-Mexico border.
• The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reported that in 2019, heroin-related overdose deaths accounted for nearly 15,000 fatalities in the United States.
• The DEA states that over 90% of cocaine available in the United States comes from Colombia.
• In 2019, U.S. law enforcement agencies seized approximately 900,000 pounds of marijuana.
• The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimated that around 128 people in the United States die every day from an opioid overdose.
• Synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, have contributed to a significant increase in overdose deaths in recent years. In 2019, synthetic opioids were involved in over 36,500 overdose deaths.
• According to the DEA, the number of drug overdose deaths involving cocaine increased from around 4,000 in 2014 to over 13,900 in 2019.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in 2019, over 70,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States, with the majority involving opioids.

The Top 10 Districts for Drug Trafficking Offenders (2021)

• Southern District of California - 9.2%
• Western District of Texas - 7.8%
• Southern District of Texas - 6.9%
• District of Arizona - 5.8%
• Central District of California - 5.7%
• Southern District of Florida - 5.3%
• Middle District of Florida - 4.7%
• Eastern District of California - 4.6%
• Northern District of Georgia - 4.1%
• Northern District of Texas - 3.9%

Trafficking Trends by Drug Type with percent (2021)

• Methamphetamine - 33.9%
• Heroin - 29.5%
• Cocaine - 24.1%
• Marijuana - 8.9%
• Other drugs - 3.6%

Average Sentence Length of Drug Trafficking (2021)

• Methamphetamine: 104 months
• Heroin: 86 months
• Cocaine: 74 months
• Marijuana: 33 months
• Other drugs: 65 months

Drug Trafficking Arrest by State

• Texas - 19.2%
• California - 15.8%
• Florida - 9.4%
• New York - 6.9%
• Georgia - 4.5%
• Arizona - 4.0%
• Louisiana - 3.6%
• Illinois - 3.2%
• Pennsylvania - 2.9%
• Virginia - 2.7%

Drug Trafficking Sentenced to Prison Statistics

• Total number of offenders sentenced to prison: 14,467

• Average sentence length: 80 months

• Median sentence length: 70 months

• Range of sentence lengths: 0-960 months

• 60.0% of offenders sentenced to prison who received a mandatory minimum sentence

• 14.7% of offenders sentenced to prison who received a downward departure from the guideline range

• 6.7% of offenders sentenced to prison who received an upward departure from the guideline range

Countries that have Death Penalty for Drug Trafficking

• China
• Indonesia
• Iran
• Malaysia
• Saudi Arabia
• Singapore
• Thailand
• Vietnam

Adulterated/Laced Drugs Statistics

• According to a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 2019, approximately 14.5% of all drug-related emergency department visits involved adulterated drugs.
• The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that fentanyl is often found in counterfeit pills, heroin, and cocaine, and is responsible for a significant increase in overdose deaths in recent years.
• A study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy found that among people who use drugs, almost 40% reported experiencing at least one instance of purchasing adulterated drugs.
• In 2020, the Drug Enforcement Administration released a report that found that illicit drug manufacturers are increasingly lacing drugs with synthetic opioids like fentanyl and carfentanil.

Death Rates Related to Drug Trafficking Statistics

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 93,331 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2020, a 30% increase from 2019.
• Synthetic opioids like fentanyl were involved in 69.7% of all overdose deaths in 2020, up from 59.8% in 2019.
• The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that between 2016 and 2019, the rate of overdose deaths involving cocaine increased by 27%, while the rate of overdose deaths involving methamphetamine increased by 22%.
• The rate of overdose deaths involving heroin has decreased since its peak in 2016, but still accounted for 9.6% of all overdose deaths in 2020.

Source

https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2015/04/28/which-countries-have-the-death-penalty-for-drug-smuggling

https://www.az-defenders.com/drug-trafficking-statistics-in-the-united-states/

https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-publications/quick-facts/Drug_Trafficking_FY18.pdf

https://drugabuse.com/statistics-data/drug-trafficking/

https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/statistics/drug-trafficking.html