Montana’s Illegal Drug Problem Is Big Business

Montana is known as The Last Best Place, however, according to a new national report there is trouble on the horizon.

For years, people have been moving to Montana in large numbers.  While many of those transplants are coming from other Western states, there has also been a large number of people coming from other countries and it seems that some of those folks might not have the best intentions regarding Montana or its residents.

Drugs are certainly not new to The Treasure State, but according to new data, Montana has become a popular destination for the distribution of one of the most dangerous drugs in the world.

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A recent headline on the NBC News national website caught my attention and while some folks might be aware of the issue, it was interesting to see that it has become such a problem that it made national headlines. Back on February 10th, on nbcnews.com the following headline was found.

Mexican drug cartels are targeting America’s ‘last best place’

The article goes on to state that Montana has become a destination for cartel associates to set up shops on Montana's Indian reservations where local law enforcement can be sparse and are distributing large amounts of both Fentanyl and Meth.

You might be wondering why drug cartels would focus on a state that is one of the least populated in the country, and according to the data, it all comes down to money.  The report goes on to state the drugs sold in Montana can result in profits that are 20 times more than what can be made in more urban areas.

How are these drugs being sold in Montana?

The report goes on to say that one of the main ways of distribution comes from women on those reservations.  The associates of the cartels form a relationship, offer free products and once the individual is hooked, they are used to sell drugs.

The good news? Montana law officials have made some inroads and there have been a few key arrests when it comes to taking down the multiple drug rings that exist across the state, however, there is still much to be done.

The bad news? We mentioned that Montana has one of the smallest populations in the United States, well, we're also one of the biggest states when it comes to land mass, which means it's not easy to patrol the entire state looking for those who are selling drugs.

In fact, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Montana is one of the top states when it comes to illegal drug and substance abuse. It's a problem that many Montanans might not want to talk about, however, the state has seen an increase in crime in both the rural areas as well as the more populated.

Is this something that needs more attention? What should the state do? Hire more law enforcement? Should politicians get involved? Would harsher penalties help? I'm not sure, but what I do know is something needs to be done and until it happens, more Montanans will lose their lives and more Montana families will experience heartbreak.