Crack, cocaine resurgence in NYC

A record influx of Colombian cocaine has spurred the return of crack — the cheap, smokable scourge that sparked a crime wave in New York in the late 1980s and 1990s. An increase in cocaine supply has driven down street prices to levels not seen in decades.

Cops say a rock can be had for $5. Turf wars are breaking out as dealers battle over street corners, just as they did 30 years ago. Abundant supply and efficient processing have sent wholesale prices plummeting. An uncut kilo of cocaine, which hit an all-time high of $35k five years ago, is now about $17k.

In New York, 2,668 people died of drug overdoses in 2021, an increase of 78% since 2019 with fentanyl detected in 80% of the deaths.