September 24, 2018

Mineral County Becomes 22nd West Virginia County To Receive High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Designation

Washington, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) applauded the designation of Mineral County, West Virginia as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). On May 31, 2018, Senator Manchin sent a letter to the Deputy Director of National Drug Control Policy, James Carroll, encouraging the designation of Mineral County as HIDTA County. Mineral County is one of 10 areas nationwide receiving this designation, announced today by Deputy Director Carroll. 

The HIDTA designation will enable Mineral County to receive federal resources to further the coordination and development of drug control efforts among federal, state and local law enforcement officials. It also will allow local agencies to benefit from ongoing HIDTA-coordinated initiatives working to reduce drug use and its consequences across the United States.

“I’m glad Deputy Director Carroll recognizes the unique challenges facing Mineral County as they combat the opioid epidemic and has declares Mineral County a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. This designation will ensure law enforcement officials and drug task forces in Mineral County are well equipped to combat the influx of drugs coming into the county and our entire state. Addressing our state’s drug abuse crisis is one of my top priorities and I will continue to fight for West Virginia to get the resources we need to end this epidemic,” Senator Manchin said.

“Drug traffickers are fueling the opioid crisis and poisoning our communities, so we have to be relentless in bringing them to justice,” Deputy Director Carroll said. “This new funding will allow law enforcement to disrupt trafficking operations in key areas so we can save lives, strengthen our communities, and safeguard our country.”

Mineral is the 22nd county in West Virginia to be designated. The following counties also have a HIDTA designation: Berkeley, Boone, Brooke, Cabell, Hancock, Harrison, Jefferson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Marshall, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monongalia, Ohio, Putnam, Raleigh, Wayne, Wood and Wyoming.

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