Press Releases

Friday, October 14, 2016 - Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) announced that Pulaski County and Wythe County have been designated as part of the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).   This designation will allow local agencies to benefit from initiatives to reduce drug use, and receive federal resources to further develop and coordinate drug control efforts among federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Griffith said, “I am glad that Pulaski County and Wythe County have been designated as part of the HIDTA; however, it is unfortunate that illegal drugs are a pressing issue here in Southwest Virginia.  The trafficking and abuse of drugs are a serious cause for concern.  Due to this concern, I supported the petition for Pulaski and Wythe to receive this designation, so local law enforcement and others diligently fighting the drug crisis will be able to utilize the resources associated with the program.” 

“These resources will help educate citizens about ways to get help and treatment.  It is my hope that this will make an impact in helping to lower drug overdoses, and rid our region of these dangerous drugs.”

Director of National Drug Control Policy Michael Botticelli said, “The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program is an important part of this Administration’s work to expand community-based efforts to prevent drug use, pursue ‘smart on crime’ approaches to drug enforcement, work to reduce overdose deaths, increase access to treatment, and support millions of Americans in recovery.”

According to the ONDCP, the HIDTA program, which was created by Congress in 1988, 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.  There are currently 28 HIDTAs across the country, including the Appalachia HIDTA.

Pulaski and Wythe join nine other localities in Virginia as part of the Appalachia HIDTA.