Ayotte Welcomes Decision to Bolster Drug Control Efforts in Rockingham County

Press Release

U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today welcomed the Office of National Drug Control Policy's (ONDCP) announcement that Rockingham County has successfully petitioned to be included as part of the New England High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). The HIDTA program, which allocates federal resources to improve drug control efforts among federal, state and local law enforcement officials, is a critical tool to help disrupt drug-trafficking operations in New England and across the country. In June, Senator Ayotte wrote to Michael Botticelli, Acting Director of the ONDCP, expressing her strong support for Rockingham County to receive the HIDTA designation. Rockingham joins Hillsborough County, which is already part of the New England HIDTA.

"This designation will provide Rockingham County with much needed support to bolster anti-drug trafficking efforts, and is a critical step forward in addressing New Hampshire's growing heroin epidemic," said Senator Ayotte. "It will also strengthen the New England HIDTA program and promote a collaborative regional approach to drug control efforts, as law enforcement reports that much of the supply of heroin in New Hampshire passes through Connecticut and Massachusetts before reaching end-users in New Hampshire communities."

Additionally, earlier this year, in a letter to Senate appropriators, Ayotte highlighted the HIDTA program and called for prioritizing funding in support of drug-trafficking enforcement efforts.

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