HIDTA
HIGH INTENSITY DRUG
TRAFFICKING AREA

Year of Designation: 1997

Geographic Areas of Responsibility Washington:
Benton, Clark, Cowlitz, Franklin, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Whatcom, and Yakima counties. 

Contact:        Director Dave Rodriguez, telephone (206) 352-3600

Mission Statement:

The Northwest HIDTA mission is to measurably reduce drug trafficking, money laundering and drug-related crime and violence; and its mission is to reduce demand by supporting treatment and effective demand reduction programs. The Northwest HIDTA will focus on high-value trafficking targets and financial infrastructure. 

Threat Abstract: The Northwest HIDTA encompasses 14 counties extending from the US-Canada border, south through the State Capital in Olympia to the Washington-Oregon border. It extends east through the Yakima Valley to the Washington-Idaho border east of Spokane. Washington State has a population of over 6.1 million. The majority of the population is primarily concentrated in the west with most of the state’s industry, whereas the eastern half is primarily agricultural.

Land Threat – Washington’s highway system, specifically the I-5 corridor, remains the most commonly used drug smuggling route into and through the region. The National Forests and National Parks are another commonly used route for the movement of drugs, and money. At the US-Canada border, high potency marijuana or “BC Bud” continues to come south, and cocaine and money move north to Canada. It is estimated that 75 to 85 percent of the BC Bud crops, with an estimated worth in excess of 1 billion dollars, moves to the US market. The retail price of BC Bud crops is significantly higher in the United States. In Vancouver, British Columbia, BC Bud marijuana sells for $1,500 to $2,000 per pound, compared to $3,000 per pound in Washington and $6,000 in California. Washington State is a primary staging area for smuggling of BC Bud into other states as far as Florida. Seizures of MDMA (Ecstasy) and pseudoephedrine (a methamphetamine precursor) from Canada appear to be increasing. Mexican‑controlled drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) use the highway system to move black tar heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine to the state from California and Arizona. Since September 11, 2001 there has been a significant increase in security at the border ports of entry (POE). As a result, land routes between POEs are seeing increased activity in drug smuggling, and it appears that these activities are increasing in the eastern half of the state. 

Maritime Threat – The Puget Sound contains numerous islands and an extensive internal shoreline. Over 1 million US and Canada registered vessels use the waterway between the two countries for commercial and recreational purposes. The combined ports of Seattle and Tacoma are the third largest load center in the United States with over 2.9 million TEUs, or 20-foot equivalent units (containers), annually. Increased enforcement efforts at land POEs have resulted in the increased use of maritime routes to transport drugs.

Air Threat – Washington State has 7 international airports, 138 public-landing sites, 100 heliports and numerous private-landing sites. Smugglers in the movement of illicit cargoes via air transportation have increasingly exploited the “Open Skies” policy between the United States and Canada. There has also been an increase in the number of “air-drops” of contraband into the National Forests and National Parks.

Domestic – Locally obtained and imported precursors are used to produce a significant supply of methamphetamine, increasingly in rural areas. The state was ranked third in the nation in lab seizures for both 2001 and 2002. Indoor marijuana grows also provide a substantial supply of locally grown high potency cannabis, which rivals BC Bud, for state residents. However, in 2002 the number of marijuana plants eradicated from outdoor growing operations surpassed the number for indoor operations. The primary method Mexican DTOs use to move illegal drug proceeds back to Mexico is wire remitter services in the state. 

Strategy Abstract: 

The design and placement of Northwest HIDTA initiatives brings a unique blend of law enforcement and prevention programs together to respond to the drug threat in the Pacific Northwest. They incorporate both sparse rural and dense urban areas. The geographic and demographic characteristics require that initiatives employ different strategies to meet the unique needs of each region. The unitized approach to countering illegal drug use includes five mutually supportive subsystems: Intelligence, Investigation, Interdiction, Prosecution, and Support (e.g., Prevention). 

HIDTA initiatives leverage existing task forces and funding sources to create even stronger enforcement programs. Although each agency might have their individual drug enforcement strategy, the HIDTA program unites and combines resources for greater effectiveness against drug law violators. Initiatives stress the partnership, sharing, and co-location of multi-jurisdictional task forces throughout the HIDTA area. These enforcement groups concentrate efforts against the high-value drug trafficking organizations operating within the Northwest HIDTA counties and against the four most common drugs of abuse: methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. A Transportation Task Force concentrates on the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as well as other means of transshipping drugs and drug profits. 

The Northwest HIDTA coordinates and synchronizes task force efforts by providing significant investigative case analysis and intelligence information to each of these task forces. Since smuggling on the US-Canada border is commonplace, a tactical intelligence center is in place adjacent to the border. This Integrated Border Intelligence Team (IBIT) directly services border interdiction and enforcement teams while coordinating with the HIDTA Investigative Support Center (ISC). The IBIT accesses the Western States Information Network via the RISS.net to receive and share intelligence information. Border smugglers arrested with lesser drug quantities are charged in Washington State courts if prosecution is declined by the United States Attorney’s Office. A HIDTA funded Whatcom County Deputy Prosecutor charges such individuals in state and county courts.

The Northwest HIDTA support initiatives include those efforts promoting drug education, drug courts, and building community coalitions with HIDTA funds. 

Investigative Support Center: 

The Northwest HIDTA Investigative Support Center is comprised of several components including an Information Services Unit, Analytical Unit, and the Administrative Unit with a Technical Equipment Program and an Information Technology (IT) component. 

The Information Services Unit operates a Watch Center that provides critical event deconfliction services to all law enforcement agencies throughout the state for officer safety. The Watch Center is a node to the Western States Information Network, which is a member of the national Regional Information Sharing System. The Watch Center coordinates critical drug intelligence information among local, state, and federal agencies. The unit has a strategic function to prepare the Threat Assessment and Annual Report. In addition, the unit prepares special studies and augments the Analytical Unit in its investigative case analysis services. 

The Analytical Unit enhances investigative functions of law enforcement agencies through delivery of analytical services. These services include communications analyses (i.e., servicing DNRs and toll activity during Title IIIs, mapping cell site activity, linking targets); database research using multiple agency and commercial databases; production of charts and graphs; post-seizure analysis of evidence; written analytical reports; and PowerPoint presentations. The products are prepared for the supported agencies to assist in investigations from inception to trial. Written products, such as reports of investigation, are provided to the supported agencies for use in their reporting systems. Many of the investigations supported are designated Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) cases, have a money laundering element, or are complex and of long duration. 

The Administrative Unit serves to provide training opportunities, Information Technology support, and Technical Equipment expertise. The training function of the Administrative Unit provides a wide array of training opportunities to intelligence center staff and law enforcement officers. The Information Technology personnel design, install, and support all of the information processing systems in the ISC and augment the IT activities of the Northwest HIDTA Initiatives. The Technical Equipment program loans, services, and installs evidence gathering technical equipment needed in the conduct of drug investigations by local, state, and federal agencies. 

Participating Agencies: 

Federal: Bur. of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; Bur. of Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Bur. of Indian Affairs; Coast Guard; Drug Enforcement Administration; El Paso Intelligence Center; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; Joint Task Force-6; Marshals Service; National Drug Intelligence Center; National Institute of Justice-ADAM Program; Office of Customs and Border Enforcement; Office of National Drug Control Policy; Secret Service; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; US Attorneys’ Offices-Eastern/Western Districts of Washington; US Postal Inspection Service; US Sentencing Commission; and USDA-Forest Service. 

State/Local: Washington State Attorney General’s Office-Criminal Investigation Section; Dept. of Community, Trade and Economic Development; Dept. of Corrections; Dept. of Ecology; Dept. of Natural Resources; Dept. of Social and Health Services-DASA, and Child Protective Services; Dept. of Transportation; Governor’s Office on Indian Affairs; National Guard-Counterdrug Program; Office of Financial Management; Office of Lieutenant Governor; and Washington State Patrol. Bremerton, Mountlake Terrace, Seattle, Spokane, and Tacoma Police Departments; Skagit County Inter-local Drug Enforcement Unit; Columbia River, Grays Harbor County, Northwest, Quad-Cities, and Tri-City Metro Drug Task Forces; Law Enforcement Against Drugs Task Force; Interagency, Unified, Valley, and West Sound Narcotics Enforcement Teams; Clark-Skamania, Cowlitz-Wahkiakum, Eastside, North Central Washington, Snohomish Regional, and Thurston County Narcotics Task Forces; Grant, King, Pierce, Spokane, Whatcom, and Yakima County Sheriff’s Offices; Spokane and Whatcom County Prosecutors; and ESD 105-Yakima. 

Other: RCMP, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, and Western States Information Network. 

Significant Achievements: 

In September 2002, the DEA Tacoma Narcotics Task Force completed a long-term investigation of a Mexican National drug trafficking organization centered in Pierce County, Washington. The organization was distributing approximately 200 lb of methamphetamine and 50 lb of heroin monthly. These drugs were primarily from Mexico and Southern California and were moved up the I-5 corridor via ground transportation to the state. The investigation revealed links to DTOs in six additional states (Calif., Hawaii, Ariz., Ill., Ala., and Colo.) that resulted in separate investigative efforts in these other states. During the investigation in the state of Washington, a load vehicle bringing drugs north from the Los Angeles area was identified and seized. A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded 37 lb of methamphetamine. The Washington DTO was involved in four murders including the murder of a confidential informant. Twenty-two search warrants were executed and 27 arrests were made in Washington without compromising other investigative efforts that continued in the other states.

The Northwest HIDTA Financial Investigation Unit initiated a money laundering investigation on a suspected drug trafficker in the state of Washington, who had accumulated considerable assets without evidence of the income to support his wealth. As the historical case developed, with the assistance of analytical support by the ISC, the head of the drug trafficking organization was identified in Vancouver, British Columbia. This investigation grew into an OCDETF case and subsequently disrupted the flow of BC Bud, methamphetamine and ephedrine from Canada for distribution in Washington, Oregon and California. The organization used the money from the sale of the marijuana, methamphetamine and ephedrine to purchase cocaine brought up from Mexico for distribution in British Columbia. Canadian members of the DTO used some of the illegal proceeds to buy a hotel in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Though initiated primarily as a money laundering case, 37 kilos of cocaine, 4.7 lb of methamphetamine, 55 lb of ephedrine and 315 lb of marijuana were seized in the three Pacific states. 

The Bronx Major Case Unit in New York City initiated an investigation in April 2001 on the SORIANO organization. The Northwest HIDTA Integrated Task Force subsequently became involved in the long-term investigation that involved the importation of heroin and cocaine from South/Central America into the Puget Sound Region and New York City. The ISC provided financial and post-seizure analysis for the investigation. 

The investigation revealed the source of supply of heroin and cocaine to the New York organization was living and operating in Seattle. Wire intercepts also disclosed the Seattle target was importing loads of cocaine in 500-kilo quantities into the United States as well as multiple kilograms of heroin from a source in Colombia, South America. As of August 12, 2003, 21 search warrants for the Seattle portion of the OCDETF case have been executed at various residences and vehicles in the Puget Sound area. There have also been nine arrests locally and one arrest in Medellín, Colombia, and one arrest in New York. The US Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington, will seek to have the suspect in Medellín extradited to Seattle for trial.