Yavapai County was added to a federal program that provides assistance to state, local and tribal law enforcement that are combating drug trafficking.
Yavapai is the tenth Arizona county added to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, or HIDTA, that was created by Congress in 1988.
“Population in Arizona continues to grow, and there has been a dramatic increase of Mexican based drug trafficking organizations operating in Yavapai County,” said Dawn Mertz, director of Arizona HIDTA.
Yavapai first applied for inclusion in the program five years ago but was denied, HIDTA officials said, but was accepted after applying again in May.
“They're really taking a three-pronged approach around prevention, treatment and enforcement, and it is having an impact here,” Governor Katie Hobbs said.
HIDTA officials said the program will give the county access to a range of different resources, including information sharing with federal enforcement agencies and drug enforcement task forces in other regions. That will allow them to collaborate across state lines, share case information and identify trends.
Law enforcement in the county will also have access to an investigative support center and technical assistance for enforcement and drug use prevention.
“Currently, Arizona HIDTA has 26 initiatives or task forces in nine counties, 23 of which are focused on disrupting or dismantling drug trafficking and money laundering organizations,” Mertz said. “Arizona HIDTA coordinates and supports the efforts of 655 full time and 27 part time participants from 83 local, state, federal and tribal agencies around Arizona.”
The announcement about the expansion from the Biden Administration comes as Republicans continue to criticize Biden and Vice President Harris for failing to do enough to secure the southern border and combat illegal drug trafficking.
Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, pointed out that the majority of illegal drugs crossing the border pass through legal ports of entry and said the Administration is taking steps to disrupt the movement of those drugs.
“We're catching record amounts of fentanyl at the border, and we're going after the drug trafficking profits that are fueling this crisis,” Gupta said. “This includes the finances of cartels, Chinese chemical companies and the accountants, lawyers, brokers and real estate agents who enable drug trafficking, and folks, it's making a difference.”
He cited new data showing a steep decline in overdose deaths in the U.S., including a 7.4% drop in Arizona.
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