DEA Releases its “National Drug Threat Assessment” for 2020

The Federal Docket

April 16, 2021

Last month, the DEA released its National Drug Threat Assessment for the 2020 fiscal year. The report discusses what the DEA considers to be the biggest drug trafficking threat to the U.S. Mexican “transnational criminal organizations,” and the types of drug offenses the DEA is most focused on investigating and prosecuting.

The report contains useful information such as the prices of several drugs such as fentanyl, meth, and cocaine, as well as information regarding purity levels. The report reflects consumption patterns, data regarding thefts and robberies of controlled substances from pharmacies and other businesses, statistics reflecting the locations where most drugs are seized or trafficked through, by type of drug, and even the effect of COVID-19 on drug trafficking.

The report also includes the current status of marijuana legalization and decriminalization across the country, though the report was issued before New York, Virginia, and other states passed legislation legalizing recreational and/or medical marijuana. The report includes useful information explaining how grow houses work, how potency is increased in marijuana, and other data regarding marijuana cultivation and trafficking. Synthetic THC is also addressed in the report.

Click here to read the NDTA.

Tom Church - Tom is a trial and appellate lawyer focusing on criminal defense and civil trials. Tom is the author of "The Federal Docket" and is a contributor to Mercer Law Review's Annual Survey in the areas of federal sentencing guidelines and criminal law. Tom graduated with honors from the University of Georgia Law School where he served as a research assistant to the faculty in the areas of constitutional law and civil rights litigation. Read Tom's reviews on AVVO. Follow Tom on Linkedin.

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