HEROIN PURITY TAKES DOWNWARD DIRECTION

Pursuant to the recent release of the Drug Enforcement
Administration's Domestic Monitoring Program results regarding
street-level heroin purity in the United States, New Jersey registered
a double-digit reduction in purity.

While New Jersey leads the nation in heroin purity, the extremely good
news for New Jersey was the dramatic drop in heroin purity over last
year.

The DEA DMP provides data on the price, purity, and geographic source
of heroin being sold at the retail or street level in 23 U.S. cities.
The data is based on actual undercover heroin purchases made by DEA
agents on the streets.

The DMP is an important assessment and analytical tool for DEA, law
enforcement officials, drug policy makers, and drug abuse researchers
throughout the nation.

The DMP reported New Jersey's street level heroin purity at 61.3
percent. Last year, it was 71.4 percent.

Over the past nine years, heroin seizures by law enforcement in New
Jersey have increased more than 1,300 percent. New Jersey law
enforcement consistently ranks within the top five states for
federal-wide heroin seizures.

In fiscal year 2004, DEA New Jersey seized more than 400 pounds of
pure heroin.

This significant drop in purity of street-level heroin over last
year's results directly reflect the accomplishments achieved by all
law enforcement attacking the supply and importation of heroin into
New Jersey.

Michael Pasterchick Jr.,

Special Agent in Charge U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration