CHARLES TOWN — Jefferson County is one of 14 newly designated counties nationwide that received a High Intesity Drug Traffic Area Designation and will work to disrupt drug trafficking through coordinated approaches to law enforcement

Senators Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said in a joint statement the HIDTA designation will enable Jefferson County to receive federal resources to further the coordination and development of drug control efforts among federal, state and local law enforcement officials.

It also will allow local agencies to benefit from ongoing HIDTA-coordinated initiatives working to reduce drug use and its consequences across the United States.

Jefferson is one of 14 additional counties in 10 states that was announced today by Director of National Drug Control Policy Michael Botticelli. Carroll County, Maryland also was given the HIDTA designation today. Berkeley County currently has a HIDTA designation.

"Over the past year, I have worked diligently with local, state and federal officials to secure this designation. In April, Director Botticelli and other high-level leaders involved with the HIDTA program joined me in West Virginia to see the problem firsthand. And in Washington, I was vocal about my support on the Appropriations Committee, resulting in new funding for the HIDTA program," said Capito, who led the effort to secure the designation in Jefferson County.

Last April, Senator Capito hosted a drug prevent summit in Martinsburg with National HIDTA Program Director Michael Gottlieb and Washington-Baltimore HIDTA Director Tom Carr that led to a comprehensive assessment of heroin addiction in neighboring Berkeley County.

"For those working to fight this epidemic on the ground, this program will increase coordination of efforts across West Virginia. Most importantly, these new tools and resources will protect communities and residents in Jefferson County from the influx of drugs in that area," the senator said.

Manchin said it has been one of his top priorities to address the drug abuse epidemic in the state.

"As heroin trafficking and abuse rates continue to climb, it is absolutely critical that our local law enforcement officials and drug task forces have the resources they need to combat the influx of drugs coming into our state," Manchin said.

"...I am very pleased to have worked with Director Botticelli and the leaders at ONDCP to ensure that Jefferson County and other high risk communities in West Virginia get the help that they need," Manchin said. "This important designation will ensure that HIDTA resources will be available for those who are on the frontlines of this fight in Jefferson County, where the growing number of heroin trafficking cases is particularly alarming."

Jefferson is the 19th county in West Virginia to be designated. The following counties also have a HIDTA designation: Berkeley, Boone, Brooke, Cabell, Hancock, Harrison, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Marshall, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Ohio, Putnam, Raleigh, Wayne and Wyoming.

Additional details will be included in the Friday edition of The Journal.