Diversion of precursor chemicals used in the methamphetamine production process is another challenge facing Oklahoma law enforcement. Some methamphetamine producers in western Oklahoma use "smurfs"--individuals who purchase small amounts of the chemicals used to produce methamphetamine--to acquire pseudoephedrine and hydriodic acid in Kansas. Anhydrous ammonia, a colorless, pungent gas legitimately used as a fertilizer and illegally used in methamphetamine production, is abundantly available throughout most of Oklahoma. Thefts of anhydrous ammonia are increasing throughout the state, particularly in western Oklahoma. Typically, anhydrous ammonia is stolen directly from storage tanks on farms and ranches. Law enforcement officials report that thieves commonly use thermos bottles and stainless steel soda syrup containers to transport the anhydrous ammonia. In some cases laboratory operators may transfer the anhydrous ammonia directly from the tank to a methamphetamine mix that is already in process. This is referred to as gassing the mix. Medical examiners have reported some deaths related to anhydrous ammonia inhalation. When the chemical is inhaled, it destroys water-absorbing fibers and the lungs fill with fluid, resulting in death.
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Methamphetamine Production Methods
Ephedrine/Pseudoephedrine Reduction:
Hydriodic acid/red phosphorus. The principal chemicals are ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, hydriodic acid, and red phosphorus. This method can yield multipound quantities of high quality d-methamphetamine and often is associated with Mexican DTOs.
Iodine/red phosphorus. The principal chemicals are ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, iodine, and red phosphorus. The required hydriodic acid in this variation of the hydriodic acid/red phosphorus method is produced by the reaction of iodine in water with red phosphorus. This method yields high quality d-methamphetamine. Another iodine/red phosphorus method, limited to small production batches, is called the cold cook method because the chemicals, instead of being heated, are placed in a hot environment such as in direct sunlight.
Birch. The principal chemicals are ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, anhydrous ammonia, and sodium or lithium metal. Also known as the Nazi method, this method typically yields ounce quantities of high quality d-methamphetamine and often is used by independent dealers and producers.
Phenyl-2-propanone:
P2P. The principal chemicals are phenyl-2-propanone, aluminum, methylamine, and mercuric acid. This method yields lower quality dl-methamphetamine and has been associated with OMGs.
Iodine crystals also are diverted for use in methamphetamine production. Iodine crystals have many commercial and veterinary uses and are readily available at feed and tack stores as well as chemical supply stores. Federal legislation mandates reporting of all sales of iodine crystals if an individual purchases more than 0.4 kilogram per month--a threshold set by DEA in 2000. Federal laws impose stringent penalties for failing to report iodine crystal sales or selling iodine crystals with the knowledge or belief that the chemical would be used to produce a controlled substance. According to DEA, iodine crystals were sold for $130 to $160 per pound in Oklahoma City in the first quarter of FY2002. In Tulsa iodine crystals sold for $200 per pound, $125 per one-half pound, and $25 per ounce.
On May 15, 2002, a federal grand jury convicted a Sallisaw feed store owner on 12 criminal charges for selling iodine crystals to methamphetamine producers. The charges included conspiracy to distribute listed chemicals, possession and distribution of listed chemicals, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. From January 1998 through September 2000, the store owner purchased nearly 5,000 pounds of iodine crystals at a cost of $8 per ounce and resold the crystals for $50 per ounce to individuals from Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. During the trial witnesses testified that the store owner knew the crystals were to be used to produce methamphetamine.
Source: U.S. Attorney Eastern District of Oklahoma; Associated Press.
Lithium, a precursor chemical used in the Birch reduction method, also is diverted in Oklahoma. OSBI reports that methamphetamine laboratory operators in Oklahoma are stealing electronic flowmeters from gas and oil wells to obtain lithium. The operators, many of whom are current or former gas or oil field employees, obtain the lithium from batteries in the meters. According to OSBI, these batteries contain significantly more lithium than batteries that are commercially available.
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Transportation
Oklahoma is a transit area and destination point for methamphetamine. Mexican DTOs and Mexican criminal groups transport methamphetamine into Oklahoma. These DTOs and criminal groups typically transport methamphetamine in large quantities from Mexico through Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas for local distribution and further transportation to other states. Methamphetamine produced in Arizona and California also is transported into and through Oklahoma.
Methamphetamine generally is transported into and through Oklahoma in private and commercial vehicles. The drug typically is concealed in suitcases, boxes, trunks, consoles, and also in hidden compartments. Law enforcement personnel report that hidden compartments built into firewalls, truck beds, camper shell roof liners, bumpers, and gas tanks often are used to conceal drugs. Methamphetamine also may be intermingled with cargo in commercial vehicles. Oklahoma law enforcement officers report a trend toward the use of rental vehicles to transport drugs into Oklahoma. The types of rental vehicles used range from small compact cars to luxury sedans. In addition to land conveyances, private aircraft and couriers on commercial aircraft are used to transport the drug into the state. Methamphetamine is, in all likelihood, shipped into Oklahoma via package delivery services, although there have been no recent documented seizures.
Oklahoma law enforcement officers continue to seize wholesale quantities of methamphetamine on the state's highways. As previously stated, officers from the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety seized a total of 128 pounds of methamphetamine in 2000. The routes most commonly used to transport the drug into and through Oklahoma are I-35, I-40, and I-44. Operation Pipeline data from the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) indicate that 8.66 kilograms of methamphetamine were seized on I-35 in February 2000. In July 2000 over 2.5 kilograms were seized on I-40 in Sequoyah County. In November 2000, 9 kilograms were seized on I-40 in Canadian County.
Operation Pipeline
Operation Pipeline is a national highway drug interdiction program. It operates along the highways and interstates most commonly used to transport illegal drugs and drug proceeds.
Operation Convoy
Operation Convoy is also a national highway interdiction program. It targets drug transportation organizations that use commercial vehicles to transport drugs.
Both of these programs are supported by the El Paso Intelligence Center.
Distribution
The Mexican DTOs and Mexican criminal groups that dominate methamphetamine transportation also distribute methamphetamine at the wholesale level in Oklahoma. These DTOs and criminal groups obtain methamphetamine from sources in Mexico and from states such as Arizona and California and then sell the drug to retail distributors. In 1998 the DEA Tulsa Resident Office identified 15 Mexican criminal groups distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana in its jurisdiction. Each group typically included three to five retail distributors.
Mexican criminal groups, Caucasian criminal groups, street gangs, independent dealers and, to a lesser extent, OMGs--most notably Mongols and Rogues--distribute methamphetamine at the retail level. Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings, and Mara Salvatrucha are street gangs involved in methamphetamine distribution. Independent dealers produce methamphetamine for personal use but also sell small quantities in order to support their habits. Retailers typically sell methamphetamine from their residences and at nightclubs throughout the larger cities in the state.
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