What US Heroin Seizures Tell Us about the Market

A new Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) report said the majority of heroin seized by US authorities in 2012 was sourced to South America, a somewhat surprising statistic that may point to a disturbing reality: the US is running blind when it comes to understanding the increasingly potent and lucrative heroin networks.

According to the 2014 DEA National Drug Threat Assessment (pdf) released in late November, slightly more than half of all heroin seized in the United States in 2012 originated in South America, while Mexico accounted for 45 percent.

The data continues a long-term trend. The DEA says South America has consistently supplied the United States with the majority of the country’s heroin since the mid-1990s, with 2011 serving as the only exception.

FK – Gee, I guess they’re selling the Afghani stuff to the Europeans?