SAN DIEGO — Recently, the Department of Justice has called meth trafficking a “growing domestic threat,” and according to new numbers, San Diego is in the middle of the threat.
Federal and local Law enforcement operations seized 8,000 pounds of methamphetamine over the past four weeks.
Meth related deaths are also on the rise in San Diego County. The Meth Strike Force (MSF) released the number of fatalities and key findings on the impacts of the illegal meth trade in San Diego County during a press conference on November 13.
The San Diego County Meth Strike Force generates an annual report card that provides a snapshot of local indicators related to meth use, including the availability of meth. The team says the latest two seizures are a testament to law enforcement efforts to curb availability. They say it is also an indicator of the lengths drug organizations will go to get these drugs on the street and into our neighborhoods.
The three thousand-pound seizure at the Otay Land Crossing resulted from a Customs and Border Protection inspection of a commercial trucker. Drug traffickers hid the meth in a load of medical supplies. It was the second-largest meth bust in Port history. A few days later, in the Inland Empire, Operation Crystal Shield led to the largest seizure in history and the disruption of a national criminal enterprise.
The MSF examines multiple factors and data points that give an overview of contemporary San Diego County trends over the last five years. The MSF report card illustrates the progress made in curbing the illegal meth trade impacts and its devastation to individuals, families, and communities.
