What for years was considered a problem mainly in the western United States is now increasingly worrying authorities in South Florida. The Drug Enforcement Administration is warning of an unprecedented rise in methamphetamine circulating in Palm Beach County, driven in part by higher cocaine prices.
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At the DEA office in West Palm Beach, federal agents displayed part of a recent seizure of nearly 120 pounds of methamphetamine carried out over two days. One of the seizures also included a mixture of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
“This, in South Florida, surprised me,” said DEA Special Agent Kevin Bobbitt.
According to Bobbitt, the shift comes down to economics.
“From an economic standpoint, it’s much cheaper to get your hands on methamphetamine,” he said.
Authorities say an ounce of cocaine can cost between $600 and $1,000, while an ounce of methamphetamine can sell for about half that, making it a more attractive alternative for both dealers and users.
The DEA also reported that it recently dismantled a clandestine methamphetamine lab in Palm Beach County, evidence that some of the drug is no longer only coming from other states or countries but is also being produced locally.
For law enforcement agencies in the region, the problem could quickly spread to other counties.
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“This Palm Beach County case is definitely going to affect us,” said Maj. Ruben Romero of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Romero noted that Florida’s geographic location makes it easier for narcotics to enter by sea and land, posing a constant challenge for authorities.
“The only thing we can do is disrupt their operations so traffickers can’t get in so easily, take away their product, educate our community about the dangers of methamphetamine and cocaine and, obviously, put more officers on the street who know what they’re doing — and arrest more people who are selling this poison,” he said.
The DEA and local agencies say public cooperation is a key tool for identifying clandestine labs, distribution networks and other crimes linked to drug trafficking in South Florida.
Portions of this story were translated from Spanish with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool. An NBC 6 editor reviewed the translation.
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