Huffman Announces Additional Federal Support to Combat Drug Trafficking in Humboldt County

November 14, 2013

WASHINGTON­—Today, Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) announced that the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has designated Humboldt County, California as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).

After consultations with Humboldt County Sheriff Mike Downey, Huffman sent a letter to R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the ONDCP, requesting that Humboldt County be designated a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. This designation will enable the county to receive Federal resources to further the coordination and development of drug control efforts among Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers in California, and allow local agencies to benefit from ongoing HIDTA initiatives working to reduce drug use and its consequences across the United States.

“Humboldt’s resources and manpower are stretched to the limit to combat methamphetamine use and the rise of widespread, environmentally destructive trespass marijuana grows on private and public lands, often associated with trafficking by drug cartels,” Congressman Huffman said. “The situation in Humboldt County is critical and this designation will bring federal resources and expertise to the table to help safeguard the safety and welfare of Humboldt county residents”

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 problems and design specific initiatives to decrease the production, transportation, distribution, and chronic use of drugs and money laundering. There are currently 28 HIDTAs located in 46 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.

Humboldt County will join 11 other Northern California counties including Alameda, Contra Costa, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Sonoma counties as part of the Northern California HIDTA.

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