U.S.-Mexico border driving Idaho’s growing drug threat

[Gov. Brad Little]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 14, 2021



*U.S.-Mexico border driving Idaho’s growing drug threat*



Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little today hosted a roundtable with law
enforcement leaders at Idaho State Police (ISP) headquarters in Boise to
discuss Idaho’s growing drug threat and the connection to the United
States-Mexico border.



“The sustained availability of drugs and the impact from crime related to
drug abuse – including property and violent crimes – present continuing
threats to the health and safety of Idahoans,” Governor Little said. “Meth
and fentanyl are the most serious and growing drug threats in Idaho and
there is a direct tie to the loose border with Mexico.”



For example, in the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
(HIDTA), law enforcement reporting shows the supply of illicit fentanyl
from Mexico in the region has become more prevalent. More than half of
officers surveyed this year reported that investigations involving fentanyl
were directly tied to sources in Mexico.



Law enforcement reporting shows meth is primarily transported into Oregon
and Idaho from Mexico through California.



Of the Drug Trafficking Organizations investigated last year, 23 of 24
identified Mexico as the source country for drugs trafficked into the
region.


The trend reinforces the Governor’s decision to send a team of five ISP
troopers to the border to assist the State of Arizona with their drug
interdiction efforts. The troopers are five of ISP’s expert criminal
interdiction team. They are in Arizona to serve both as a force multiplier
for local efforts at a time when it’s needed along the border and,
importantly, to bring back to Idaho the experience of seeing and learning
up-to-the-minute enforcement techniques.



The troopers deployed are trainers themselves and help teach hundreds of
other state and local law enforcement right here in Idaho on illegal drug
trends and updated enforcement techniques.



“It is truly a fantastic opportunity to send our best criminal interdiction
troopers to learn what’s happening and what’s working with law enforcement
efforts to fight the flow of illegal drugs, and to be a force multiplier
along the border when it is badly needed,” Governor Little said. “I want to
thank these law enforcement leaders here with me today for sharing with us
what they are facing.”



Law enforcement leaders who participated in today’s roundtable include ISP
Colonel Kedrick Wills, Twin Falls Chief of Police Craig Kingsbury, Bannock
County Sheriff Tony Manu, ISP Lt. Colonel Sheldon Kelley, ISP Lt. Colonel
Bill Gardiner, ISP District 1 (Coeur d’Alene) Captain John Kempf, and
Fusion Center ISP Sgt. Bret Kessinger.



Additional information about drug activity in Idaho is available in the
Oregon-Idaho HIDTA 2022 Threat Assessment available at
https://oridhidta.org/reports.



# # #



NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Marissa Morrison, Press Secretary

208-943-1686 or marissa.morrison at gov.idaho.gov

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