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Connecticut Drug Alcohol Addiction Recovery and Treatment Programs and Centers
In Connecticut, heroin and cocaine in powder and crack form are the biggest drug threats. Connecticut is located near New York City and is a critical transit and destination point for drugs. Interstate 95 is the main north-south route on the East Coast, which extends along Connecticut’s southern shore via Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven and New London. It links New York City with Boston and continues to the American/Canadian border. Further, Interstate 91 extends from New Haven north to Massachusetts, Vermont and the American/Canadian border. These interstates connect to New Haven and, according to law enforcement, the New England Pipeline.
In Connecticut, cocaine remains a popular drug of choice and is still commonly abused; however, crack is historically favored over powder cocaine. Traditionally, most organizations in Connecticut have bought previously processed crack cocaine straight from New York-based suppliers. However, recently, suppliers have offered significant price drops for the powder type. When needed, powder cocaine is changed to crack locally, although wholesale dealers increasingly favor selling powder cocaine to receive greater profit. Street level cocaine distribution appears to still be dominated mainly by Puerto Rican and African American groups.
Cocaine is accessible in many sizes from gram to kilogram amounts. Most of the cocaine trafficking and distribution organizations are now comprised of a combination of Puerto Rican, Mexican, and African American individuals frequently working in concert. Cocaine has traditionally, and still arrives in Connecticut from New York through vehicles sometimes equipped with sophisticated concealed compartments. Supply sources for cocaine also included Mexican transportation groups based in mid-Atlantic, southern, and western states throughout America. Local costs of cocaine experienced a significant rise in the fall of 2008, and have stayed high ever since.
In Connecticut, the demand for heroin is increasingly high, and it remains readily available. This makes heroin the main threat to Connecticut. Further, the increased accessibility of low-priced, high purity heroin, which can be effectively snorted or smoked instead of injected, is partially fueled by the substantial amount of diverted OxyContin and Hydrocodone. Users become quickly addicted to these pharmaceuticals and are forced to switch to lower cost, easily accessible available bags of heroin. This has resulted in an increase of heroin overdoses throughout Connecticut, and a marked rise in heroin users at substance abuse clinics statewide. Typically, heroin abuse continues to be widespread, affecting suburban and urban regions. Connecticut-based Dominican and other Hispanic criminal groups are the main shippers and wholesale and midlevel distributors of heroin in Connecticut. Heroin continues to be sold on the street in small glassine bags. There has also been a resurgence in the practice of stamping a brand name on the package. The heroin is mainly being shipped into Connecticut from New York City, generally entering the area through one of the major interstates in vehicles equipped with concealed hydraulic “traps.” Large amounts of heroin arrive in Connecticut through shipping services, such as UPS and through airplanes by way of human couriers.
Lab apprehensions have not grown in Connecticut. All methamphetamine labs apprehended in the Northeast have been low-capacity labs, generally producing two ounces or less of methamphetamine per production cycle. These labs are typically located inside private residences.
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