ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Lehigh County has been designated by the White House Office of National Drug Control as a federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, which allows it to join a program that offers
case investigation, information sharing and specialized training, officials announced Friday.
The designation will offer "additional significant resources to Lehigh County to be deployed to continue the ongoing effort to reduce drug production, drug trafficking and drug-related deaths," county District Attorney Jim Martin's office said in a release.
- Lehigh County has been designated a federal High Drug Trafficking Area
- The designation lets it be included in a program that offers it case investigation, information sharing and specialized training
- Officials said the Lehigh Valley's proximity to New York City, northern New Jersey and Philadelphia "makes it a prime location for drug trafficking"
It “will ensure our nation's hardest-hit areas get the critical resources and support they need to crack down on illicit drug supply, prevent overdoses, save lives and make our communities safer,” White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Dr. Rahul Gupta said.
Martin's office said the Lehigh County’s proximity to New York City, northern New Jersey and Philadelphia "makes it a prime location for drug trafficking."
Lehigh County "has witnessed an influx of drug and violent activity from New York and New Jersey as well as drug-related deaths fueled by the opioid crisis and fentanyl, which is currently present in many illegal drugs being sold on the street,"Release from Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin's office
The area "has witnessed an influx of drug and violent activity from New York and New Jersey as well as drug-related deaths fueled by the opioid crisis and fentanyl, which is currently present in many illegal drugs being sold on the street," the office's release said.
'Significant center of illegal drug production'
The release from Martin's office said the designation came after Lehigh County provided authorities with evidence to demonstrate:
• The area is a significant center of illegal drug production, manufacturing, importation or distribution.
• State, local and other law enforcement agencies have committed resources to respond to the drug trafficking problem in the area, indicating "a determination to respond aggressively to the problem."
• Drug-related activities in the area have a significant, harmful impact in the area.
• A significant increase in federal resources is needed to respond adequately to drug-related activities in the area.
"Lehigh County is also adjacent to I-80 and I-476, which provide ease of access to major drug destinations in the Mid-Atlantic area and New England."Release from Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin's office
Lehigh County joins Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties as part of the program.
Lehigh County shares borders with two Montgomery and Bucks, and "criminals do not respect geographical borders," Martin's release said.
"Lehigh County is also adjacent to I-80 and I-476, which provide ease of access to major drug destinations in the Mid-Atlantic area and New England."
Drug-trafficking organizations recognize that and have partnered with gangs operating in Lehigh County and use those alliances to expand drug distribution and develop deeper criminal networks that also engage in gun and sex trafficking, according to the release.
Mexican drug trafficking organizations in area
Local intelligence and investigative findings found kilograms of heroin/fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine are being supplied by Mexican drug trafficking organizations into the region, the release said.
"The violence and availability of fentanyl and other illegal substances that Lehigh County law enforcement has encountered over the past several years have created a public safety and public health crisis," the release said.
It said Lehigh County has the third-highest percentage of its population affected by drug-related deaths in the state.
"The combination of drug trafficking, the prevalence of fentanyl, drug-related deaths and increased violence requires more resources for law enforcement to properly address and the LMA HIDTA will help accomplish that."Release from Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin's office
"The combination of drug trafficking, the prevalence of fentanyl, drug-related deaths and increased violence requires more resources for law enforcement to properly address and the LMA HIDTA will help accomplish that," the release said.
Martin is quoted as saying, "Participation with LMA HIDTA will be a great benefit to law enforcement and to my office.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security added a resident agent in charge office in Allentown this year, the release notes.
The Lehigh Valley is among nine counties nationwide added to the HIDTA program, according to a White House release.
The others are: Randolph County, West Virginia; New Hanover County, North Carolina; Sullivan County, New York; Allen County, Ohio; Lee County and St. Lucie County, Florida; and Canadian County, Oklahoma.
The White House releases said that for 2024, the federal budget is set to include $290.2 million for the HIDTA program.
