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John L. Smith On The Pipeline Of Meth From Mexico That Runs To Las Vegas

Leonard Ortiz/Getty Images

A rock of crystal methamphetamine lifted from a suspect in Orange County, Calif.

It seemed like a routine traffic stop until police in Kingman found 20 kilos of methamphetamine in the Las Vegas man’s car. 

 

Now the arrest is shining a new light on the pipeline of meth between Mexico and Southern Nevada. 

 

“Las Vegas is emerging as a place where there’s a lot of competition because there are a lot of folks using methamphetamine,” John L. Smith said.

Smith explained that when the U.S. cracked down on the precursor chemicals to make methamphetamine the cooking operations that were once dominated by biker gangs moved south to Mexico.

He said the drug cartels started getting the chemicals in large quantities, making the drug and then sending it north.

“Literally container loads of these chemicals and converting that into methamphetamine,” he said.

Because the cartels are making so much of it, meth has become extremely affordable and demand has grown.

“Larger shipments are coming up to hub cities, not just Las Vegas, but more Phoenix and cities in Texas and it’s from those jumping-off points that smaller distributions are made,” he said.

The smaller distributions have accounted for about 200 kilos of the drug in Southern Nevada alone over the past few years.

“Homeless advocates and other folks who work with people who are on the street have noticed an uptick, a dramatic uptick, in people using methamphetamine. It’s a very cheap high,” Smith noted.

A little as three or four dollars can get someone enough meth to get high, Smith said.

TOURISM AND THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY

Smith noticed an interesting article in the Los Angeles Times Travel Sectionthe other day. It detailed Las Vegas' cannabis dispensaries and the nearby activities that certain products could be used in. For instance, the wedding chapel and weed dispensary nearby and which marijuana strain is best for gambling.

Smith notes that just a few years ago it would have been an investigative reporter, not a travel reporter who would have detailed Las Vegas' pot culture.

But things have changed for the city and the industry. 

There is, however, one change that hasn't happened that is creating a big complication for Las Vegas tourists and the cannabis industry.

“The big complication remains for all the fun that people can have and all the marijuana they can buy when they come to Las Vegas they can’t smoke it inside a casino.”

SUPER BOWL LIV

“In my wisdom, I watch football games, so I guess I’m an expert as everyone in America is an expert on Super Bowl Sunday. I was all about the 49ers and all about the over. I came in second.”

 

 

John L. Smith, contributor

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Joe Schoenmann joined Nevada Public Radio in 2014. He works with a talented team of producers at State of Nevada who explore the casino industry, sports, politics, public health and everything in between.