Crime Control Digest - Vol.24 No.29 - Cocaine Prices, Purity, Shortage and Possible End of Epidemic

Sep 29, 2026

Wholesale cocaine prices rose sharply across major U.S. metropolitan areas while cocaine purity declined, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. DEA officials reported that cocaine supply shortages and falling coca leaf prices in Bolivia and Peru may be undermining production economics. Senate testimony dated July 17 described kilogram and street-level purity decreases and noted an upward spiral in prices over three months, alongside large multi-ton seizures in the U.S., Mexico, and Colombia.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

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COCAINE PRICES, PURITY, SHORTAGE AND POSSIBLE END OF EPIDEMIC

Wholesale prices climbing

“At The Edge Of A Decline”

CRIME BILLS TALK TOUGH BUT NEED FUNDING BACKBONE

House And Senate

# Crime ControlDigest Vol.24 No.29 Biden:“Good News...” ## COCAINE PRICES,PURITYSIGNAL SHORTAGE ANDPOSSIBLE END OF EPIDEMIC By Robert H.FeldkampAssociate Editor,Washington Crime News Services Wholesale cocaine prices have climbedsignificantly in major metropolitan areas,with acorresponding drop in the drug's purity一the“most favorable”indicators in years that theepidemic may have peaked,according to theDrug Enforcement Administration(DEA). Moreover,coca leaf prices paid to farmers inthe Latin American producing countries of Boliviaand Peru are dropping to the point where it isn'teconomically feasible in some places to growthem,said DEA’s Ronald Caffrey,deputy assis-tant administrator for operations. Caffrey told the Senate Judiciary Committeeon July 17 that there is also a significant short-age of cocaine in a number of major U.S.citiesleading to an“upward spiral”over the lastthree months during which cocaine prices havereached their highest level since mid-1985. "Among those cities noting significant kilo-gram price increases are Houston,New York,Chicago and Los Angeles,"Caffrey testified."Wholesale prices in New York,for example,areapproaching their highest level since mid-1985 andcurrently range from $20,000 to $35,000 perkilogram,"Caffrey said. "This compares to a range of $17,000 to$25,000 per kilogram reported during the lastmonths of 1989,"he added. (Continued on page two) ISSN 0011-1295 July 23.1990 Page 1 IN THIS ISSUE COCAINE:Wholesale Prices Climbing……………1CRIME BILLS:Lots Of Talk, But Where's The Money … …1JOB LISTINGS… ……5DISABLED:Congress Passes Rights Bill. ………6ROBOTS:Baby Bomb Eater Available…………6MASSACHUSETTS:Settles Cadet Liability Suit……7NOBLE:Conference Focused On Hate Crimes… ……7DRUG LAWS:Need More,Rep.Gilman Says… …8CANADA:Semiauto Gun Ban Proposed… ……9UC DRUG ENFORCEMENT:Course Scheduled……9RISK MANAGEMENT:Seminar Planned… …10CALIFORNIA:Yanking Licenses… ……10DIVE RESCUE:Advanced Training Coming Up……10 House And Senate: ## CRIME BILLS TALK TOUGHBUT NEED FUNDING BACKBONE If rhetoric could print money,the Senate'santicrime bill could be a potent attack on violentcrime and illegal drugs. Strom Thurmond(R-S.C)said of S 1970:"This bill will go down in history as one of thegreatest pieces of legislation ever passed.” Joseph R.Biden Jr.(D-Del.)added:“This isthe toughest,most comprehensive crime bill in ourhistory.” (See CRIME BILLS,pagefour) CRIME CONTROL DIGEST Page 2 During that same period,kilogram prices wentfrom $20,000 to $32,000 in Los Angeles;$21,000to $30,000 in Houston;and $25,000 to $32,000in Chicago,according to DEA(See Figure 1).The favorable numbers are showing up in manyother areas,as well,the agency reported. Committee Chairman Joseph Biden(D-Del.)hailed the DEA report,which reflected data col-lected as recently as late June,as“good news,”but cautioned:“We have made some progress,butwe still have a long way to go.” ## “At The Edge Of A Decline” Two non-government witnesses at the hearing,which wascalled by Biden to announce the new DEA findings,agreedthat the current cocaine shortage,along with the price hikeand purity drop,could signal that cocaine use will soonabate,if it hasn't already. Asked by Biden ifhe thought that the cocaine epidemicwas peaking,Dr.David F.Musto,a professor of paychiatry gYale University,declared:"Isee us at the edge ofa decline."Musto also said he believes Americans are changing theirattitudes about using cocaine—"a mout important factor." Mark H.Moore,a professor of criminal justice policy atthe Kennedy School of Governmentat Harvard University,agreed with Musto:“We're probably ast the peak of theepidemic.Now the challenge is to influence the residual longterm(abuse)problems." DEA's Caffrey said that cocaine purity levels,whichwhen they are dropping frequenty indicate lack of availability,are downward at all levels of the distribution chain. "DEA lab

FAQs

What did the DEA report about cocaine prices and purity in major U.S. cities?

Wholesale cocaine prices climbed significantly across major metropolitan areas, while purity dropped. DEA characterized the combination as among the most favorable indicators in years, suggesting the epidemic may have peaked.

How did Senate testimony describe the link between shortages and epidemic trends?

Witnesses agreed that the current shortage, alongside the price hike and purity drop, could signal cocaine use will soon abate. Dr. David F. Musto said he saw the situation “at the edge of a decline,” and Mark H. Moore said the U.S. was probably at the peak.

What did the DEA say about seizures and international production economics?

DEA testimony cited unprecedented multi-ton seizures in the U.S., Mexico, and Colombia during the past year. It also described falling payments for coca leaf in Peru and Bolivia, where some farmers were reportedly not breaking even.

Sep 29, 2026

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