The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) considers Sioux City to be such an important site for drug distribution that it has located a Resident Office in the city. DEA agents in Sioux City work closely with local officials as part of the Tri-State Sioux City DEA Task Force.
Drug Interdictions by DEA Agents in Sioux City
Sioux City’s location along the Interstate 29 corridor makes it a convenient site for drug traffickers to import drugs to the city and then distribute them throughout the Midwest. Mexican drug traffickers bring drugs to Sioux City from Arizona and California. In addition, Sioux City is a short distance from Omaha’s drug market using Interstate 29. DEA agents have been fighting these efforts and have made a number of significant busts in Sioux City.
- DEA agents played a role in the investigation that led to the February 2013 sentencing of a Sioux City resident to a 24 year prison sentence for trafficking pure methamphetamine in Sioux City.
- A man was arrested for selling crack cocaine near a children’s playground and sentenced in July 2010. DEA agents were involved in his arrest.
- In April 2010, DEA agents broke up a national drug ring that was transporting methamphetamine from Mexico to California via Sioux City. Agents were able to trace the five pounds of methamphetamine seized in Kansas City back to Sioux City.
What it Takes to Become a DEA Agent in Sioux City
A number of different career and educational backgrounds can lead to obtaining jobs with the DEA. One route is to come from a law enforcement background that involved drug investigations.
Another is to get a secondary education. Degrees such as an LL.B, J.D., or Master’s qualify individuals to apply to join the DEA.
A Bachelor’s degree with a 2.95 GPA is another option. The GPA requirement is waived for those with three years of experience in fields such as information technology, accounting, engineering, having served in the military, having been a ship or aircraft pilot, of being fluent in any one of a number of languages.
Sioux City residents who want to learn how to become a DEA agent should contact the St. Louis Division of the DEA to see if positions are available in Sioux City.
Recruits pursue their formal training at the DEA Academy in Quantico, Virginia. The Academy is used for training in firearms, driving and other practical skills, as well as academic coursework in investigations and surveillance.
Addressing the Drug Problem in Sioux City
The use of Sioux City as a distribution point for drugs led to Woodbury County being included in the Midwest HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) created by the federal government to fight drug trafficking throughout the region.
Methamphetamine – High-level traffickers bring meth from Mexico into Sioux City for further distribution throughout the Midwest. Once in the city, mid-level dealers sell the drugs to local residents who distribute meth in the Sioux City. Due to the highly addictive nature of meth, its sale and use is of great concern to law enforcement and public health officials in the area.
Cocaine – Mexican drug cartels bring wholesale quantities of cocaine into Sioux City. The drug is both used locally in the Sioux City area and distributed throughout the region.
Marijuana – Large-scale quantities of pot are transported to Sioux City from the West coast. From there, the drugs are distributed throughout the Midwest. Major indoor growing facilities for pot have also been identified in Sioux City.