Cocaine: Mexico-based drug trafficking organizations transport metric-ton quantities of cocaine from the Southwest Border to the Chicago Field Division on a regular basis. For example, the Chicago Police Department seized more than 6,000 kilograms of cocaine 2002. Brokers will arrange the transportation at the Southwest Border, and then travel to the Chicago area to oversee the delivery to local cells. Colombian organizations have provided as much as half of the bulk cocaine loads to the brokers as payment in lieu of cash. In Chicago, the drugs are consigned to local cells for distribution. In addition, the Chicago area serves as a distribution hub, supplying other cities throughout the Midwest and as far east as New York City. According to the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), there were more estimated cocaine-related emergency department mentions in Chicago than any other city monitored by the program in 2001. Cocaine-related deaths in Chicago were the most predominant in 2002, surpassing heroin-related deaths. In 2001, cocaine was mentioned in 60 percent of drug-related deaths in the Chicago metropolitan area.

Heroin: Chicago is unique among American cities in that heroin from all four source areas-South America, Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia, and to a lesser extent Mexico-is available on a consistent basis from year to year. Until recently, virtually all of the white heroin available in the Chicago area was smuggled in by Nigerian/West African criminal groups. But investigative intelligence and Domestic Monitor Program results indicate that South American heroin availability has become more prominent over the past few years. Increased competition amongst these groups has led directly to higher purity levels, lower prices, and widespread availability of the drug. At the retail level, heroin is distributed at numerous open-air drug markets-predominantly on the West Side of the city-that are controlled by street gangs. Street gangs such as the Gangster Disciples, Vice Lords, and Mickey Cobras control the distribution and retail sales heroin throughout the city. Rival gangs have multiple sources of supply for heroin, which contributes to heroin availability.
According to the Domestic Monitor Program, the purity of heroin sold on the streets of Chicago has averaged between 20 and 25 percent every year for the past six years, indicative of a steady supply of high-quality heroin. Heroin use is at alarming levels in Chicago, with DAWN reporting that there were more estimated heroin-related emergency department mentions in Chicago during 2001 than any other U.S. city for the fourth consecutive year. In 2000, more drug-related deaths in Chicago were attributable to heroin than any other illegal drug.

Methamphetamine: Illinois is faced with a two-pronged methamphetamine problem. First, large quantities of methamphetamine produced by Mexico-based Drug Trafficking Organizations are transported to the state. Mexican drug trafficking organizations transport methamphetamine into Illinois mostly from California and Mexico. They use the same distribution channels used for other drugs. Outlaw motorcycle gangs and Hispanic street gangs control the retail distribution of methamphetamine. Although there is little evidence that methamphetamine is being distributed in the Chicago area, some Mexico-produced methamphetamine destined for markets in other areas transits Chicago. Second, small-scale methamphetamine laboratories have proliferated greatly in many areas of the state. Methamphetamine is the principal drug of concern in the rural areas of central and southern Illinois. The proliferation of small, clandestine methamphetamine laboratories throughout the rural areas force law enforcement to expend a large number of man-hours and resources on combating the lab problem. Most of the laboratories in the southern portion of the state use the Birch production method. The theft of anhydrous ammonia and the improper disposal of laboratory waste is of great concern to the small farming communities. In addition, DEA Operation Mountain Express III uncovered the transshipment of large quantities of pseudoephedrine from Canada, through Chicago, to California, where it was used to produce methamphetamine in "superlabs" managed by Mexican traffickers. According to the El Paso Intelligence Center, seizures of methamphetamine-related laboratories, chemicals, glassware, and dumpsites in Illinois increased from 4 during 1997 to 500 in 2002.

Club Drugs: The use of club drugs, and more specifically "designer drugs", has increased sharply throughout the United States and in major cities such as Chicago. "Designer drugs" refer to specific illegal substances such as MDMA, GHB, Ketamine, PCP, and licit pharmaceuticals, most notably the painkiller OxyContin. Chicago has also ranked near the top of DAWN emergency department mentions for PCP over the last few years. Law enforcement sources in urban areas and in college towns located in many areas of the Chicago Field Division (CFD) report an increase in the abuse of these drugs. There is also a dangerous perception that many of these dangerous drugs are not harmful or addictive like cocaine and heroin. The root of the problem extends beyond the borders of Illinois and the CFD. Because of its status as an international transportation and trade center, Chicago remains vulnerable as a distribution center for drug trafficking organizations. As in other divisions across the nation, the DEA CFD is aggressively targeting dangerous drug traffickers internationally and domestically. CFD investigations have revealed direct links to MDMA sources of supply in Europe, New York City, and Miami. Regionally, Chicago serves as a secondary source area for club drugs distributed throughout the Midwest.

Money Laundering:Chicago's status as a major financial center presents opportunities for laundering the vast sums of money that are generated from the trafficking of drugs. Designated as a High Intensity Financial Crimes Area, Chicago is a major center for the laundering of illegal drug profits. Traditionally, money laundering in Chicago was, and is still, accomplished by investing profits from illegal drug sales into legal businesses such as nightclubs and grocery stores. Mexican drug traffickers typically transport the cash in bulk via commercial vehicles or tractor-trailers to the Southwest Border and then into Mexico. Colombian traffickers, by contrast, use separate operational cells to launder money through more sophisticated mechanisms. The cells utilize foreign banks associated with countries with lax banking laws and greater secrecy principles, money exchange/wire businesses, ATM deposits and withdrawals or they may physically smuggle currency out of the United States. Colombian traffickers also use the Black Market Peso Exchange, which is a scheme to launder drug proceeds using Colombian Pesos.

Marijuana:Marijuana is the most widely available and used illicit drug in the Division. Mexico-based poly-drug trafficking organizations transport bulk marijuana shipments concealed with legitimate goods in tractor-trailers into the Chicago area from the Southwest Border. It is common for smaller shipments of marijuana to be smuggled across the Southwest Border and later consolidated into larger shipments destined for Chicago. The primary wholesalers of marijuana in Chicago are the same Mexico-based organizations who supply most of the cocaine, methamphetamine, and Mexican heroin in the Chicago area. Mexican trafficking cells operating in the Chicago area are often composed of extended family members of associates or organization members in Mexico. In addition, local marijuana production-in both outdoor and indoor cultivation sites-reportedly is increasing in many areas. According to DAWN Chicago ranked third in the nation for estimated marijuana-related emergency department mentions in 2001.

Other Drugs: The diversion of legitimate pharmaceuticals is a significant problem in Illinois. The problem of purchasing pharmaceuticals over the Internet has grown dramatically. Ritalin, a controversial drug prescribed for attention deficit disorder in children, may be gaining popularity as a recreational drug for teenagers. The most commonly diverted pharmaceutical drugs continue to be those containing hydrocordone, alprazolam, and phentermine. There has also been an increase in the abuse of diazepam (valium), especially 10 mg strength tablets. There has been a notable rise in the number of reported incidents of diversion of pseudoephedrine and, as a result, the number of investigations in this area is on the rise. There has been an increase in diversion of Canadian manufactured pseudoephedrine products being smuggled into the US, as opposed to domestically manufactured products being diverted from the regulated distribution chain. OxyContin remains a highly abused substance in the state. With increased media attention on OxyContin there has been a shift to an increased use and abuse of methadone.