Illegal drug trade in the United States

International drug routes.
Panamanian motor vessel Gatun during the largest cocaine bust in US Coast Guard history (totalling 20 tons, worth over 600 million USD), off the coast of Panama.

The US federal government is an opponent of the illegal drug trade; however, state laws vary greatly and in some cases contradict federal laws.

The Organization of American States estimated that the revenue for cocaine sales in the US was $34 billion in 2013. The Office of National Drug Control Policy estimates that $100 billion worth of illegal drugs were sold in the US in 2013.[1]

In the fiscal year of 2023, a total of 19,066 cases related to drugs were reported, with drug trafficking accounting for 18,939 of these cases. The majority of drug trafficking crimes, amounting to 98.1%, involved seven specific types of drugs. Quick Facts offers a general understanding of these crimes, although the details may differ depending on the specific drug involved in the offense.[2] In 2024, it was reported that LAX airport is the central hub for narcotics in the US, perhaps even the world.[3]

In the United States, "narcotics" and "drugs" are legally considered different classes and/or types of substances.[4]

  1. ^ "The Biggest Organized Crime Groups in the World". Fortune. 2014-09-14.
  2. ^ Drug Trafficking Retrieved 28 May 2024
  3. ^ "How L.A. became the cartels' global distribution center and why it's part of an even bigger problem". ABC7 Los Angeles. June 7, 2024.
  4. ^ DOJ, DEA (April 1, 2020). "DOJ/DEA Drug Fact Sheet: Narcotics" (PDF). Drug Enforcement Administration.