DETROIT (WWJ) -- Officials with the Drug Enforcement Agency in Detroit say they're concerned about an "alarming rise" in the amount of meth that's making its way into the city and the metro area.
While DEA agents seized about 550 lbs. of meth in Michigan and Ohio last year, they've already seized around 2,200 lbs. -- about four times as much -- in 2021.
Special Agent Keith Martin at the DEA Detroit office tells WWJ the majority of the meth that's coming into Detroit is coming from south of the border, with I-75 serving as a "pipeline."
"I know the meth that's coming into the U.S. and into Michigan is coming in directly from Mexico and that's because they have the super labs down there," Martin said.
He says Mexican cartels are using the "same routes that they've used for the past 100 years, plus," but they're getting more creative in hiding the drug trafficking.
"They're using the same transportation routes, they're just using different methods of concealment to get the meth into the country and to get it into Michigan," Martin said. "They're utilizing commercial carriers, privately owned vehicles and the U.S. Postal Service."
Martin says the individual amounts at each seizure are also higher than they have ever seen before, with several busts totaling over 100 lbs. each.
Officials haven't seen as much crystal meth across their busts this year. Instead, the meth is oftentimes disguised in pill form, looking like drugs such as oxycodone, Xanax and other pills.
WWJ asked Martin whether the rise can be blamed on the legalization of marijuana cutting into drug dealers' pockets, but he says it's too soon to tell.
Martin says the DEA has seen several cases where meth and fentanyl are mixed together, which has attracted a lot of people to meth.
It likely goes without saying, but Martin stresses that meth is a very dangerous drug.
"It really transforms your body into something that you don't want it to be and it's not good. You're literally putting dangerous chemicals into your body," Martin said.
Meth can cause serious problems in users, including trouble with motor skills, Malnutrition, Weight loss, seizures, heart attacks and stroke.
