CLEVELAND, OH—FBI Cleveland recently received notice from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) as being one of nine counties in the country to receive funding from the ONDCP-funded High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program.

The HIDTA Program coordinates and assists federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to address regional drug threats with the purpose of reducing drug production and drug trafficking in the United States.

“The overdose epidemic is an ever-present problem and eliminating drug trafficking organizations remains one of the highest priorities of the FBI. As an ONDCP-funded HIDTA program, we can now put additional resources behind our efforts to get ahead of the threats,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “This funding aims to support areas hardest hit by drug trafficking. The FBI Lima Resident Agency, situated in Allen County, is the designated recipient of the funding, but the reach of the FBIs work through this program will no doubt extend beyond the borders of Allen County to help reduce drugs and drug activity in the community.”

In addition to Allen County, additional designated counties include:

1. Bullitt County, Kentucky (Appalachia HIDTA)
2. Randolph County, West Virginia (Appalachia HIDTA)
3. New Hanover County, North Carolina (Atlanta/Carolinas HIDTA)
4. Lehigh County, Pennsylvania (Liberty Mid-Atlantic HIDTA)
5. Sullivan County, New York (New York/New Jersey HIDTA)
6. Lee County, Florida (South Florida HIDTA)
7. St. Lucie County, Florida (South Florida HIDTA)
8. Canadian County, Oklahoma (Texoma HIDTA)

The HIDTA Program supports regional law enforcement efforts in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. Nationwide, the program comprises more than 900 investigative, interdiction, and intelligence-sharing initiatives. Regional HIDTAs also collaborate closely with public health partners on innovative strategies to reduce fatal and non-fatal overdoses and substance use.

Since its inception in 1988, the HIDTA Program has helped public safety officials implement integrated operations against drug trafficking organizations and, with ONDCP’s leadership, has provided the American people with a cost-effective and evidence-based solution to address addiction and the overdose crisis. In 2022, the HIDTAs seized an estimated $22 billion in illicit drugs and cash—representing a return on investment of $82.91 for every $1 budgeted for the HIDTA Program.

President Biden’s FY 2024 budget calls for $290.2 million in funding for the HIDTA Program, which is managed by ONDCP. In April, ONDCP Director Dr. Rahul Gupta announced $275.7 million for the HIDTA Program providing additional resources to 33 regional HIDTAs. The funding also supports public health and public safety partnerships like the Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) – a partnership between the HIDTA program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that works to prevent and reduce overdoses. Specifically, ORS brings together drug intelligence officers and public health analysts at the local and regional level to share information and develop evidence-based intervention and support services that prevent and reduce overdoses including law enforcement-led linkages to care, use data to alert and respond to overdose spikes, and ensure access to naloxone.