Illegal drug activity is a serious issue that can pose a risk for everyone in the dealing area. Therefore, quick action must be taken to prevent further damage to the neighborhood and decrease the chance of it becoming a violent and dangerous place. If you suspect this situation is happening but are afraid of reporting it, do know that some cities provide a completely anonymous and safe way for you to do it.

Warning Signs of Illegal Drug Activity

If you want to know how to anonymously report drug activity, first make sure that there are warning signs of the activity. For instance:

• People enter the house with expensive things and depart without them all the time.
• There are excessive movement inside and around the house during night time.
• In some places, to subtly indicate that a drug dealer is around, some of them put shoes with their shoelaces knotted together hung over trees or power cables.
• People are often visiting the place and leaving after a short while.
• Although it is not a precise sign, in some cases, the house’s blinds or curtains are dark and permanently closed no matter what the weather is.
• You may see a substance that looks like powder inside or around the house.
• Keep an eye for excessive quantities of plastic bags around the house.
• Needles or syringes are placed on the street, around the house or in nearby dumpsters.
• Look for grinders, rolling paper, pipes or other drug-related elements lying around in the neighborhood. 

How to Anonymously Report Drug Activity

1. Gather All the Information

The first step is to make a complete police report and in order to properly do it, you need to collect the necessary evidence, from the times the house is receiving more people to the license plate, model of cars that usually arrive and the exchange of money or substances that takes place there. 

Other relevant information includes the physical appearance and number of people that lives in the house, and whether you see children or animals living or being brought there. Write all the information down in a safe place and take photos or videos of the activities if you can. 

Keep in mind that you should be very careful while doing this. Drug dealers are very protective with their businesses and may take retaliation if they suspect someone is trying to bring it down. Never compromise your personal safety. If someone can notice you are taking that information, then it is better to stop and do it later.

2. Inform the Authorities

How to anonymously report drug activity? Once you have all the information, call your local police station. Do this through their non-emergency line if you are not in danger, or on the contrary call 911 if you feel unsafe. Your report will be filled and they also may have your call transferred to a department that deals with all the drug-related cases.

3. Get in Touch with a National Agency

If you do not feel your local police department can properly handle the situation, then you can get in contact with a national agency such as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) or the Department of Justice (DOJ). You can place your report online through any of these agencies' websites, or directly call their phone lines.

Keep in mind that a federal law enforcement agency will often get involved in the case if they find out that the drug dealing activity is large enough.

4. Stay Anonymous

When you call, the police officer may ask your name or other significant data; however, you can stay anonymous if you want, and giving that information is completely voluntary. In any case, the police won't be able to share your personal data outside the legal area.

Whatever the situation is, the police enforcement will be aware that a lot of people may be afraid of giving their personal information to avoid getting in trouble, so they will always be happy to receive any kind of useful and meaningful information about law violations without pressuring you to tell your name.

Why Should You Report a Drug Activity?

How to anonymously report drug activity? You already know the answer. But some people may still wonder why they have to do this. Here are the reasons.

1. Save Your Neighborhood

It is well known that places where drug activity is frequent become dangerous and better-to-avoid areas. When drug dealing gangs start to grow, they even begin to recruit children and adolescents to keep their control over the neighborhood. Schools and local businesses like bakeries or small markets start to close or in the best case scenario, reduce their working hours. Companies that used to offer delivering-related products no longer include the area for their services. Some residents move out. All these things happen sooner or later and the neighborhood will decay.

2. Help Decrease Felonies

Robbery, homicide, rape and many other crimes are greatly associated with illegal drug-related activities. Keep in touch with your local police department to stay upgraded in news about your neighborhood crime rate.

3. Do Your Duty

Remember that safety is everyone’s responsibility. If everyone expects that another person does the right thing and avoids doing it themselves, then nothing will be done. If you notice something out of place, then act on it. Do not wait until it is too late to do anything. This is your civic duty.