[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 190 (Thursday, October 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 52697]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26311]


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EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT


Office of National Drug Control Policy

AGENCY: Executive Office of the President, Office of National Drug 
Control Policy.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice lists one (1) new High Intensity Drug Trafficking 
Area designated by the Director of National Drug Control Policy.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Comments and questions regarding this 
notice should be directed to Mr. Richard Y. Yamamoto, Director, HIDTA, 
Office of National Drug Control Policy, Executive Office of the 
President, Washington, D.C. 20503; 202-395-6755.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1990, the Director of ONDCP designated 
the first five HIDTAs. These original HIDTAs, areas through which most 
illegal drugs enter the United States, are the Southwest Border, 
Houston, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, and South Florida. In 1994, 
the Director designated the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA to address the 
extensive drug distribution networks serving hardcore drug users. Also 
in 1994, the Director designated Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands as a 
HIDTA based on the significant amount of drugs entering the United 
States through this region. In 1995, the Director designated three more 
HIDTAs in Atlanta, Chicago, and Philadelphia/Camden to target drug 
abuse and drug trafficking in those areas.
    HIDTAs are domestic regions identified as having the most critical 
drug trafficking problems that adversely affect the United States. 
These new counties are designated pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 1504(c), as 
amended, to promote more effective coordination of drug control 
efforts. This action will support local, state and federal law 
enforcement officers in assessing regional drug threats, designing 
strategies to combat the threats, developing initiatives to implement 
the strategies, and evaluation of the effectiveness of these 
coordinated efforts.
    HIDTAs support over 250 co-located officer/agent task forces in 
twenty regions of the country, including the entire Southwest Border. 
The HIDTA program strengthens mutually supporting local, state, and 
federal drug trafficking and money laundering task forces, bolsters 
information analysis and sharing networks and, improves integration of 
law enforcement, drug treatment and drug abuse prevention programs.
    Seven new HIDTAs were designated in 1997. They are: the Detroit, 
Michigan HIDTA, the Gulf Coast HIDTA (includes parts of Alabama, 
Louisiana, and Mississippi); the Lake County, Indiana HIDTA, the 
Midwest HIDTA (includes parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and 
South Dakota, with focus on methamphetamine); the Northwest HIDTA 
(includes seven counties of Washington State); the Rocky Mountain HIDTA 
(includes parts of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming) and the San Francisco 
Bay Area HIDTA. Earlier this year, the Director designated the 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin HIDTA, Appalachia HIDTA (includes 26 counties in 
Kentucky, 11 counties in West Virginia and 28 counties in Tennessee) 
and Central Florida HIDTA (includes six counties in Florida) as the 
three latest HIDTAs.
    The new North Texas HIDTA encompasses the cities of Dallas and Fort 
Worth, the surrounding counties of Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, 
Henderson, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Lubbock, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall and 
Tarrant, Texas and all the municipalities therein.

    Signed at Washington, DC this 31st day of August, 1998.
Barry R. McCaffrey,
Director.
[FR Doc. 98-26311 Filed 9-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3115-01-P