Numbers showing an agressive resurgence of cocaine on Guam and an "upswing in drugs and drug-related crime" have prompted local and federal law enforcement to write a petition, still in its draft form, that the island be designated a high-intensity drug trafficking area, or HIDTA.

The heads of the Guam Police Department, Department of Corrections, Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, Office of the Attorney General, Department of Youth Affairs, Department of Agriculture, Port Authority of Guam Police, Guam Homeland Security, A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority Police, Department of Public Health and Social Services, Bureau of Statistics and Plans, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and at least 10 other local and federal agencies are expected to sign the petition, along with the governor, U.S. attorney and attorney general.

Guam is a significant center of illegal drug importation and distribution, the petition states, and drug-related activities have had a significant harmful impact on island residents, the economy and the nation.

Although crystal methamphetamine has been the dominant illegal drug on Guam since 2000, the draft petition states cocaine has become an "alarming problem" on the island.

Recent cocaine busts

On May 18, the Mandaña Drug Task Force conducted the largest cocaine seizure in Guam history – 31 pounds of pure cocaine.

"Not since the late 1970s has Guam seen the prevalence of cocaine in large quantities," the petition states.

In May of this year, 4 pounds of the drug were discovered on the island's eastern seashore. Another 37 pounds of cocaine was located and confiscated during raids in Inarajan, and multiple people were arrested and charged in the Superior Court of Guam. The drug task force and DEA continue to investigate whether the two incidents were part of a larger shipment.

'The problem seems to be getting worse'

The petition notes that since the task force's creation in February 2017, officers have confiscated 22,000 grams of illegal drugs – not including prescription drugs – with an estimated street value of $1.2 million. The report states the majority of the crystal meth, cocaine and marijuana that have been confiscated were shipped and imported into Guam.

"From all available evidence and data, the problem seems to be getting worse, despite the continued efforts," the draft petition states.

According to the document, Guam stands to benefit greatly from such a designation by gaining resources needed to fight drug crimes and importation of illegal substances. Financial resources would be available to supplement the island's efforts if it were to gain a HIDTA designation, and additional federal resources are necessary to stem the tide in the upswing in drug-related crime.

HIDTA designation would "pave the way" for Guam to acquire much-needed supplemental funds for equipment, supplies, overtime and training, and allow access to the vast HIDTA information-sharing network, the draft document states.