But isn’t Ice Used in Drinks?
Ice, glass, crank, crystal meth, by whatever name this drug is known, most people are aware that it is dangerous. With a chemical name of Methylamphetamine, this kind of Ice gets people very high; after ingesting it they become super alert and hyperactive. Increased dosages cause mania and rage, a person can really get out of control when they are on Ice. They will experience paranoia, hallucinations, frenzied overreactions and even psychoses.
What’s Happening in Houston?
In Houston, Texas figures produced by national agencies show that the number of deaths triggered by an addiction to Ice, or Crystal Meth, has risen- there is an epidemic in the state of Texas that is difficult to stop.
According to Bob Delamere a long-time narcotics squad agent, Crystal Meth is deadlier today than it was when it first produced. In the early years of the 20th century, the drug was created from OTC drugs that could be bought at a local pharmacy. Once these drugs were declared illegal, incidences of Death by Meth decreased.
In the years from 2014 and onwards, the list of meth-related fatalities spiraled upwards again. It seems that local residents are assisting out-of-area criminals to distribute Crystal Meth throughout Houston Texas and around the USA.
How Does So Much Crystal Methamphetamine Get into Houston, Texas?
Can you believe this? The US-Mexico border is riddled with holes just a like a piece of Swiss cheese. These holes are tunnels that Mexican drug runners use to bring drugs, especially Crystal Meth into the USA.
“You can blame the Sinaloa Cartel for this method of drug smuggling,” says Bob Delamere.
“The first tunnels were quite basic, they were just gopher holes,” Delamere adds. “Now they are designed by engineers. They contain ventilation, lighting and rail tracks. Drugs, vehicles and even people can be smuggled through to the US because these tunnels are so large.”
Delamere issues a further warning-
“Joaquin Guzman, head of the Sinaloa drug cartel, escaped from the Altiplano Prison in 2015, through a tunnel… These guys are smart and very persistent.”
Are Mexican Drug Cartels Alone Responsible for the Upsurge of Crystal Meth Usage in Houston?
“Well, yes and no,” admits narcotics agent Bob Delamere. “The Birch reduction method of cooking up Crystal Meth is pretty easy – it’s known as the Shake ‘n’ Bake method. It’s easy to find the instructions for this method on the internet, so there are Houston locals who do this. We discovered a huge crystal meth lab in Houston in 2015.”
“Mexican DTO’s are very active in bringing Crystal Meth to Texas and into Houston. The NDIC has reported very high levels of abuse of Ice in Houston; we’re always working on shutting down laboratories and arresting members of street gangs and OMGs who sell drugs here. What we’re doing now is just the tip of the iceberg.”
Definition of Terms
- DTO stands for Drug Trafficking Organization.
- OMG stands for Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.
- NDIC stands for National Drug Intelligence Center.