What does a drug dealer do specifically?

A drug dealer's activities can be broken down into several key areas, depending on the type of drug market they operate in:

Distribution and Sales

• Drug dealers engage in the sale of illicit drugs, which can include a wide range of substances such as cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and others. In open markets, dealers sell to any potential customer, often screening out only those suspected of being police or other threats. In closed markets, dealers sell only to people they know or to those vouched for by other buyers1.

Market Operations

• In open markets, dealers may operate 24-hour businesses or focus on busy times like rush hour and evenings. These operations can involve multiple workers who handle tasks such as dealing, steering potential buyers to the market, alerting dealers to police presence, and running special orders for favored customers1.
• In closed markets, dealers typically operate indoors, selling larger quantities of drugs to individual buyers. These markets rely on word of mouth for advertising and often involve selling to a network of known customers1.

Security and Surveillance

• Dealers in open markets often use apartment complexes for their operations because these locations provide some degree of security, such as multiple entrances and exits, allowing them to see if police are approaching and escape into a specific apartment if necessary1.
• In closed markets, dealers are generally more cautious and avoid attracting attention, which means they keep their customers' behavior in line to minimize visibility1.

Financial Transactions

• Drug dealers engage in financial transactions, often exchanging cash for small packaged goods. This can involve frequent visitors who stay for only a few minutes, and there may be evidence of drug paraphernalia and other signs of drug activity in the area2.

Use of Lookouts and Other Support

• Dealers may use lookouts to keep watch for police and alert occupants of the drug house if law enforcement approaches. This is particularly common in distribution hubs or "trap houses"2.

Interaction with Other Criminal Activities

• Drug dealers and their networks are often linked to other forms of criminal activity, such as money laundering, illegal firearms, gang feuds, and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals. These activities can be part of larger organized crime operations3.

Overall, the specific actions of a drug dealer can vary widely depending on the type of market they operate in and the level of organization involved.