WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has designated Pulaski County and Wythe County as Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), as well as Frederick County as a Washington/Baltimore HIDTA. The designations will enable each county to receive federal resources and tools to improve drug control efforts and coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement.

“The devastating effects of drug addiction continue to deeply affect Virginia families and communities. Now—more than ever—we need to provide law enforcement with the necessary tools to fight drug abuse and expand recovery treatment to those who need it,” said Sen. Warner. “While I am glad that these three counties now join others in having this support, we still have a lot of work to do to help the entire Commonwealth fight this epidemic. I look forward to continue to work with ONDCP and other local partners to help us prevent drug use and overdose deaths.”

Created by Congress in 1988, the HIDTA program serves as a catalyst for coordination among federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug trafficking regions of the United States. Law enforcement organizations working within HIDTAs assess drug-trafficking issues and design specific initiatives to decrease the production, transportation, distribution and chronic use of drugs and money laundering.

Other counties and cities in Virginia that are a part of the HIDTA program include:

• Appalachia HIDTA: Carroll, Grayson, Dickenson, Lee, Scott and Wise;       
• Washington/Baltimore HIDTA: Alexandria, Arlington, Chesterfield, Fairfax County, Fairfax City, Falls Church, Hanover, Henrico, Hopewell, Loudoun, Manassas, Manassas Park, Petersburg, Prince George, Prince William and Richmond.

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