Reasons for Reporting Drug Activity
There are reasons why you may want to report drug activity in your neighborhood, including:
- Being the landlord of the property and agonizing about the legal issues that may ensue.
- Worrying about the safety of others, including children, who may live in or near the house where you suspect the activity is taking place.
You may also have reasons why you don’t want to report drug activity, including:
- Worrying about the safety of your family from potential retaliation.
- Not wanting to get a loved one, who is misusing substances, in trouble with law enforcement.
- Misusing substances yourself and not wanting legal troubles of your own.
You’re not alone. Personal safety and legal prosecution scare people from reporting drug activity.
Options for Reporting Drug Activity
If you are concerned about someone using or selling drugs, you should report the activity. There are several ways to do it anonymously. Each state and jurisdiction may offer a local tip line or process to report drug activity online or in the area.2 However, there are national organizations and programs that collect anonymous tips, too.1
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
If you see what appears to be the growing, manufacturing, distributing, or trafficking of controlled substances—federally regulated substances—you can fill out the tip details on the DEA’s website, which includes the date, location, and description of the activity. You can also chose to provide your contact information or not.3
Crime Stoppers
Crime Stoppers is a national organization that provides a network of local programs throughout the United States that allows individuals—who witness illegal drug-related activities—to fill out an online form or make an anonymous call to file a report.2,4
Local Police
If the event you witnessed poses an immediate threat to the safety of others, you should report it to your local police or law enforcement agency. Each police department may vary in the types of information they require from you. For instance, some local online forms ask for your personal information, such as name, address, and email address. If you’re not comfortable submitting that info, call your local law enforcement office instead.