Drug misuse and trafficking have a lengthy history in the state of New Jersey. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) claims that New Jersey is a significant hub for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic areas’ distribution of heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics. But not every New Jersey city is equally impacted by the drug problem. One city in particular, Newark, has been named the state’s epicenter for drug smuggling in a new DEA report.
Newark’s Part in the Drug Trade
The largest and most populated city in New Jersey is Newark, which is expected to have 282,011 residents as of 2020. Additionally, it serves as the county seat of Essex County, which in 2019 had 433 drug-related fatalities, the greatest number of deaths in the state.
Nestled in the center of the nation’s most populous and economically vibrant region, the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area, is where Newark is situated. This makes Newark a desirable location for drug traffickers, who transfer massive amounts of drugs into and out of the state via the city’s vast transportation network, which includes highways, railroads, airports, and seaports.
The DEA claims that Newark serves as New Jersey’s main supply of heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl as well as that of nearby states including Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York. According to DEA estimates, Newark is the source of more than 70% of the heroin found in New Jersey.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50–100 times more strong than morphine and sometimes combined with heroin or cocaine to intensify its effects, is also widely distributed in the city. Most opioid overdose deaths in New Jersey and the United States are caused by fentanyl. Furthermore, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and prescription medications like Xanax and oxycodone are all heavily sold in Newark.
Drug Smuggling’s Effect on Newark
The city of Newark and its citizens are severely impacted by the drug smuggling operations. The city has one of the highest rates of unemployment, homelessness, and incarceration in the state, and the drug trade contributes to the city’s poverty, violence, crime, and corruption.
Drug misuse also hurts people’s health and well-being because it can lead to addiction, overdose, illness, and mental health issues. The drug problem also has an impact on young people’s educational, career, and social changes. Young people are frequently recruited by gangs and dealers to engage in the drug trade and are exposed to narcotics at a young age.
The state and national security, as well as public safety, are also at risk due to drug smuggling in Newark. The drug traffickers in Newark are linked to international criminal groups that engage in a variety of illicit operations, including money laundering, the trafficking of firearms, the trafficking of people, and acts of terrorism. These groups include the Mexican cartels, the Colombian drug lords, and the Dominican gangs.
In order to smuggle drugs and other contraband into the nation, drug traffickers also take advantage of holes in the transportation infrastructure, such as the absence of screening and inspection at ports and airports.
Conclusion
The DEA has designated Newark as the state’s hub for drug smuggling because of the city’s involvement in the production, distribution, and use of a number of illegal drugs, including fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. The city and its residents suffer from the effects of violence, crime, poverty, addiction, and overdose as a result of drug smuggling in Newark.
The state and the country are also affected by drug smuggling in Newark because it facilitates the actions of international criminal groups that jeopardize national security and stability. To tackle the drug problem in Newark and to make the city and its citizens’ environment safer and healthier, it is therefore essential that the community and the government collaborate.