White House Identifies 5 Minn. Counties As Critical Drug-Trafficking Regions
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The White House has designated five Minnesota counties as critical drug-trafficking regions and is helping to tackle the problem.
The counties are Anoka, Dakota, Ramsey, Washington, and Hennepin. The designation as a high-intensity drug traffiking area gives the counties federal resources to help coordinate and develop drug control efforts both federally and state-wide.
"We can only prosecute people if the cases are presented well," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said. "This is going to give the resources, and this is gonna give the dollars, to be able to go after some of the kingpins and the big drug folks."
Last year, there were 572 drug overdose deaths in Minnesota. That number is four times higher than in 2000.