By:  LINDSEY O’NEILL, ESQ. 

According to a recent press release issued by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, the prices of cocaine and methamphetamine in the United States have risen significantly over the past 21 months, while purity of the drugs has decreased.

From January 2007 to September 2008, the price per pure gram of cocaine increased 89 percent, from $96.61 to $182.73, while purity decreased 32.1 percent, from 67 to 46 percent. During the same timeframe, the price per pure gram of methamphetamine increased over 23 percent, from $148.91 to $184.09, while the purity decreased 8.3 percent, from 57 percent to 52 percent.

The DEA is committed to relentless pursuit of illegal drug traffickers.  The press release also highlights the DEA’s recent success in massive arrests of those involved in the illegal drug trade:

[I]n September 2008, DEA led Project Reckoning that resulted in the arrests of over 600 individuals and seizure of over $70 million dollars from the notorious Gulf Cartel. The Gulf Cartel is alleged to be responsible for much of the violence that is currently occurring in Mexico.

DEA has worked with Colombia to dismantle the major Colombian Cartels, to include the Norte Valle Cartel; with the arrests of Diego Montoya Sanchez and Juan Ramirez Abadia. Abadia was indicted in the United States in 2004, after being arrested in Brazil in August 2007, and extradited to the United States in August 2008. Sanchez was arrested in Colombia in September 2007 and is currently awaiting extradition to the United States.

Colombian officials also arrested Otto Herrera-Garcia, a longtime Guatemalan drug trafficker and one of the most important targets in Central America. Herrera-Garcia is awaiting extradition to the United States after being arrested in Colombia in June 2007.

A top AUC leader, Diego Fernando Murillo-Bejarano (a.k.a. Don Berna), was indicted in the U.S. in 2004, and surrendered to Colombian authorities in May 2005. He was extradited to the United States in May 2008 and pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in June. His sentencing is December 18, 2008.

FARC Commander Juan Jose Martinez Vega was arrested by Venezuelan police in May 2005 and immediately extradited to Colombia. In March 2006, he was indicted in the United States, and extradited here in April 2008, where he currently awaits trial.

Those charged with drug crimes should contact a criminal defense attorney for more information about their legal options.