Marijuana trafficking increasing in Colorado

According to a recent report, Colorado has been seeing a marked increase in the amount of illegal marijuana trafficking within the state, and exports to outside of it. The statistics cited do not include the time period since the legalization of marijuana for adult use. KDVR reports:

The most common destinations for the marijuana were Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Texas.

The size of the seizures also increased. From 2005 to 2008, the total average number of pounds seized was 2,220. From 2009 to 2012, it increased to 3,937.

Most of the marijuana came from Denver, Boulder and El Paso counties, the report found.

The report also found an increased number of people trying to mail marijuana through the U.S. Postal Service. In 2010, the Postal Service seized 15 packages with marijuana headed out of state. In 2012, they seized 158.

The report is compiled from voluntary reporting of marijuana seizures by law enforcement. One of the common arguments for legalization is a decrease in illegal trafficking. Since much of the illegal trafficking in Colorado is associated with exporting the drug out of the state, these statistics do not necessarily disprove the contentions of pro-legalization activists. The states where the marijuana was being sent have not legalized the drug, so they still have a viable black market for it.