According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, in 2006, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made 539 drug arrests in Virginia. In that year, Virginia had 32,000 total drug arrests; in 2005, Virginia had 29,746 drug arrests. In 2006, the Virginia State Police Pharmaceutical Drug Diversion Unit got 1,939 complaints of activities relating to diversion in Virginia. In response to the complaints, 397 individuals were arrested on 725 charges. Virginia had 8 incidents of murder/non-negligent manslaughter, which involved the violator(s) being suspected of drug use.

In Virginia, powder and crack cocaine are widespread in wholesale and retail amounts. In urban regions, quite a bit of violence remains associated with the crack cocaine trade. The Richmond and Tidewater regions of Virginia have consistent, long-term heroin abusers, and heroin distribution is present in other areas of Virginia as well. The majority of the heroin seen in Virginia is generally higher-than-average purity.

Per 2004-2005 statistics from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 411,000 of Virginia citizens, ages 12 or older, admitted to past month use of an illegal drug. The 2005 Virginia Community Youth Survey cites that 20 percent of 12th graders admitted to using marijuana in the past month.

The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Drug Enforcement Division (DED) was implemented to place most of their emphasis on enforcing Virginia's drug laws. Some DED departments include Multi-Jurisdictional Task Forces, Marijuana Eradication/Operation Grand Slam, Governor's Initiative Against Narcotics Trafficking (GIANT), and Pharmaceutical Drug Diversion Unit.

Virginia had 22,872 full-time law enforcement personnel as of October 31, 2006; 17,672 were officers and 5,200 were civilians. In Virginia, traffickers along the I-95 corridor are susceptible to spillover drug distribution from traffickers traveling between the two main eastern drug importation hubs based in Miami and New York City.

Although Colombian and Dominican drug trafficking organizations in New York City continue to be the main sources for the majority of cocaine that is accessible in Virginia, several local traffickers are utilizing Mexican supply sources. In 2006, Virginia State Police Drug Enforcement (DES) Regional Field Offices apprehended drugs totaling $16,140,294. In Virginia, in 2006, Federal agencies apprehended in excess of 250 kilos of cocaine. In that year, Virginia had 23 meth lab incidents that were reported by the DEA and state and local authorities.