street gangs & drugs · why gangs love the drug trade recruitment –gangs use the easy supply...
TRANSCRIPT
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Street Gangs & Drugs
Investigator Michael Rokaitis Officer Martin Lemus Modesto Police Department – Street Gang Unit
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WHAT IS A STREET GANG?
▪ 186.22(f) PC – A group of three or more people who regularly associate (Formally or Informally)
– Has a primary criminal activity {186.22(e)PC}
– Has a common name, sign, or symbol
– Membership engages in a pattern of criminal activity
▪ 186.22(e) PC – Predicate Crimes established by the State Legistlature
– Includes Murder, Weapons Possession, Burglary, Robbery, Identity Theft, Auto Theft, Vandalism, and Drug Sales
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THE EVOLUTION OF STREET GANGS
▪ 1940’s – 1960’s – Many gangs developed in inner-city environments and grew out of poverty and race
issues
– Gangs claimed blocks, parks, and neighborhoods, offering protection for the community
▪ 1960’s – 1990’s – The illegal drug trade created profitable markets in each neighborhood for street gangs
– Prison Gangs began controlling street gangs because of the money and power
▪ 2000’s – Many large criminal organizations have been targeted by the Fed’s with indictments
– Street Gangs no longer rely on large organizations for drug supplies in the Central Valley (Cartel Connections, Growing Marijuana yourself)
– Social Media and Cell Phones have allowed gangs to diversify and connect outside of the neighborhood. Drug sales are now easier!!!
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WHY GANGS LOVE THE DRUG TRADE
▪ RECRUITMENT – Gangs use the easy supply of
marijuana, alcohol, pills, and cocaine to entice young membership into a life with the gang.
– Older gang members in school are seen as the “cool kids” who can offer parties, protection, girls, and drugs.
– Gang members have new young members sell drugs for them in youth markets, offering easy money for the membership and easy profits for the Shot Callers.
E$APT Members Ages 12 - 20
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▪ HUMAN TRAFFICKING – Traffickers use recreational drugs to
lure victims into the world of H.T.
– Victims fear withdrawal from the drugs they are addicted to, causing them to rely on their trafficker
– Traffickers double as drug dealers and get victims used to paying off drug debts through sexual acts
– By coupling physical abuse with drug addiction, traffickers are able to exert complete control over their victims
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RISE OF THE MARIJUANA MARKET
▪ California has been decriminalizing marijuana for over twenty years – Compassionate Care Act of 1996
▪ Allowed anyone with a “recommendation” to legally grow and possess marijuana
▪ Loopholes in the law allowed “patients” to grow thousands of plants and legally sell them for profit in dispensaries and co-ops
– Recreational Marijuana approved by voters 11/08/16
▪ The law took effect immediately for personal use
▪ Licenses required for legal sales of marijuana were not issued until 2018
▪ Penalties for sales were decriminalized immediately
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HOW DID THE LAW CHANGE?
OFFENSE Under 18 Years Old 18 – 20 Years Old 21+ Years Old
Possess Under 1 Ounce (Bud) or Under 8 Grams
(Concentrated)
Infraction
Infraction
Legal
Possess Over 1 Ounce (Bud) or Over 8 Grams (Concentrated)
Infraction
Misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
Possess on School Grounds Infraction Misdemeanor Misdemeanor
Cultivation of Under 6 Plants Infraction Infraction Legal
Cultivation of Over 6 Plants Infraction Misdemeanor Misdemeanor
Possession for Sales Infraction Misdemeanor Misdemeanor
Sales to Juveniles Infraction Felony Felony
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WHY IS THE MARIJUANA MARKET DESIRABLE?
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WHY IS THE MARIJUANA MARKET DESIRABLE?
▪ MARIJUANA – Diverse Market of Users
– $1,300 - $2,000 per Pound
– Misdemeanor to Sell for Adults
– Infraction to Sell for Juvies
– You can be Armed with MJ
– Concentrated products exponentially increase your profits
– You can be in control of the entire operation
– MORE MONEY … LESS RISK
▪ METHAMPHETAMINE – Limited Market
– $1,000 - $2,000 per Pound
– Felony to Sell for Adults
– Felony to Sell for Juvies
– 11370.1HS – Prison Felony
– There is no way to concentrate your product
– It is near impossible to oversee production all the way to sales
– LESS MONEY … MORE RISK
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MARIJUANA ATTRACTS VIOLENCE
• Because of the big money in selling Marijuana, gangs are heavily armed.
• If the gangs are not growing the marijuana themselves, they are commonly sending groups into other homes to conduct home invasion robberies for product or money
• Almost all home invasion robberies in the Modesto Area are directly related to marijuana grow operations or stash houses
• Juvenile members are commonly used in order for older members to avoid prosecution.
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GROW OPERATIONS
• Street Gangs in Modesto have been linked to numerous indoor and outdoor Marijuana grows
• This grow operation had over 800 plants in a back yard in West Modesto
• The gang could have made over $500,000 in profit off of the grow
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CONCENTRATED CANNABIS
• High quality Concentrated Cannabis sells for $350 - $600 an ounce
• The product is made from trimmings and low-quality marijuana left over after a harvest
• Chemicals such as butane are used to strip THC from the plant materials
• Home extraction labs explode due to the volatile solvents being used
• THC levels of 75% - 95%
• Can increase profits from a grow by 3x – 5x
• Many products with brands and labels are actually produced by gang members in garages … there are NO HEALTH REGULATIONS IN PLACE!!!
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MARIJUANA IN SUMMARY
▪ Street Gangs have tapped into the semi-legal but unregulated marijuana market
▪ With decriminalization, Law Enforcement has been given less tools to control the flow of illegal marijuana onto the streets. – Lack of funding to prosecute cases
– No incentives to keep Juveniles from using / selling
– The costs don’t outweigh the benefit to the gangs
▪ Because the gangs are not licensed by the State, the quality and “safety” of the product cannot be regulated or verified.
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DEALERS ALWAYS SELL MORE THAN JUST MARIJUANA
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OPIATE AND PRESCRIPTION PILL MARKET
▪ The United States has seen a spike in opiate addiction, which continues to grow at an alarming rate
▪ Street Gangs have moved into the heroin and pill market
▪ Gangs obtain prescription pills, cough syrup, and heroin through various means: – Trafficked into the area from the southern border
– Pill bottles are targeted during residential burglaries
– Pills are stolen from family members and friend’s parents
– Members obtain medication from doctors by faking illness or pain
– Robbery crews conduct takeover style robberies of pharmacies during business hours
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STREET PRICES
▪ Adderall / Amphetamine Salt - $15 per pill
▪ Fentanyl - $10 per pill / $150 per patch
▪ Hydrocodone - $10 per pill
▪ Oxycontin - $25 - $30 per pill
▪ Xanax 2mg (Footballs) - $5 - $8 per pill
▪ Xanax 4mg (Bars) - $10 per pill
▪ Promethazine / Codeine (Lean) - $250 - $350 per bottle
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SALES TRENDS
▪ Gang members primarily use social media platforms such as SnapChat, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp to advertise drug sales and negotiate transactions – Some of these applications automatically delete the messages after a set
amount of time
– Anyone with Wi-Fi access can use the applications
– You can do your illegal business anonymously
▪ The following photographs were all captured off SnapChat over the course of one day at work and everyone was a local gang member
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