413047-Underground-Commercial-Sex-Economy

Table 10.1 Estimates of Illicit Markets for Sex, Drugs and Guns and UCE/CE for Other Goods (millions)
City Year Sex Drugs Guns Other
Atlanta 2003 $238 $104 $169 $14,500
Atlanta 2007 $290 $117 $146 $16,000
Dallas 2003 $99.4 $134 $171 $16,900
Dallas 2007 $98.8 $191 $171 $19,000
Denver 2003 $47.2 $54.7 $58.4 $7,470
Denver 2007 $39.9 $63.9 $47.4 $7,820
Miami 2003 $302 $93.4 $106 $15,300
Miami 2007 $235 $95.7 $118 $14,700
San Diego 2003 $124 $105 $46.6 $8,490
San Diego 2007 $96.6 $96.3 $47.7 $8,740
Seattle 2003 $50.3 $87.3 $83.1 $9,840
Seattle 2007 $112 $87.4 $60.1 $11,800
DC 2003 $155 $111 $150 $17,700
DC 2007 $103 $103 $160 $20,300
While we estimate these changes, uncovering why these different economies changed over the course of
these two time periods is beyond the scope of the study.
Finding 2: In all eight study sites, there appears to be no connection
between weapons trafficking and the UCSE. The overlap with drug
trafficking varies by UCSE venue. In five of the study sites, gang
involvement in sex trafficking and prostitution seems to be increasing.
Neither offenders nor law enforcement stakeholders offered concrete evidence of a connection between
domestic weapons trafficking and domestic sex trafficking or prostitution. Sixteen percent of pimps
reported carrying weapons for their own use, but provided no indication or evidence of involvement in
weapons trafficking. While law enforcement stakeholders reasoned that individual offenders might exploit
some of the same criminal networks to facilitate pimping and gun trafficking—or help fund one activity
with proceeds from the other—no evidence shared by law enforcement illustrated an existing connection.
The connection between drug trafficking and the UCSE varies by type of sex venue. Twenty-five percent of
respondents worked as drug dealers prior to working as pimps. Stakeholders reported that some pimps
moved to sex trafficking after serving time for drug dealing—seeing it as a less risky endeavor. Pimps
corroborated these reports; offenders stated that they transitioned from drug dealing to pimping because
they perceived fewer and less serious risks associated with the latter. At the same time, 18 percent of
respondents continued to deal drugs while they pimped, creating overlap between the profits and
networks within each economy. However, these connections were based on movement of individual
facilitators and not the result of organized criminal syndicates controlling both economies.
Established connections are tenuous between drug trafficking and indoor commercial sex venues. Dallas
law enforcement uncovered evidence of drug sales at erotic Asian massage parlors and Latino brothels.
Miami stakeholders noted that Mexican drug cartels helped facilitate the smuggling of women and
children who are trafficked in Miami brothels. The extent to which gangs are involved in brothel or
massage parlor-based sex trafficking or prostitution could help determine additional links between sex
trafficking and drug trafficking. For example, law enforcement in Washington, DC reported that Latino
brothels are extorted by MS-13. However, this link is still relatively new and unexplored in other cities in
our study.
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