Lawrence County designated as High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area

LAWRENCE COUNTY, Pa. - The White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy has officially designated Lawrence County as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
Lawrence County joins five other Pennsylvania counties in receiving federal HIDTA resources dedicated to coordinating federal, state, and local governments in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
"Lawrence County citizens will benefit significantly from HIDTA designation and the critical resources and support that brings to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations," said U.S. Attorney Cindy Chung. "We will use these crucial resources to attack the opioid crisis, to curtail cocaine trafficking, and to prevent the widespread distribution of methamphetamine, which has become a serious problem in Western Pennsylvania."
U.S. Attorney Chung says Lawrence County is being used by drug traffickers for large-scale distribution of controlled substances into Lawrence and surrounding areas, including Ohio. Lawrence is an attractive target for drug trafficking organizations, due to a network of intersecting highways and interstates.
"Our designation as a HITDA community will provide additional resources, expand the reach of law enforcement and ensure that traffickers of heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl are attacked at their sources and distribution points," said Lawrence County District Attorney Joshua Lamancusa. "I look forward to building upon our cooperative efforts to make Lawrence County a safer place."