STATEWIDE CRACKDOWN ON DRUGS IN SECOND PHASE

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Today begins phase two of a statewide
offensive to enforce drug trafficking laws across West Virginia.

Gov. Joe Manchin reiterated a pledge to dedicate $1 million in state
revenues to fight drug trafficking within the state. The governor
made his latest comments at a Friday morning press conference, but he
first made the promise during his State of the State address in
January. ADVERTISEMENT

It's not known how much of that $1 million dollars will be spent in
Huntington, but Manchin said the Detroit drug trade is a particular focus.

Manchin referred to Detroit as "a key supply point from which this
drug is coming into the Charleston-Huntington area."

"I know that our law enforcement professionals are working closely
with state and federal drug and law enforcement officials in all of
the major metro areas that are supply points for illegal drugs," he
said in prepared remarks released to The Herald-Dispatch.

Manchin's press conference took place at the State Police
headquarters in South Charleston, W.Va., where he stood behind 5
kilograms of recently seized cocaine, which has a value of at least $480,000.

In all, Manchin said the initial phase of the state's drug crackdown
has netted more than $5.7 million in drugs.

State Police First Lt. Dave Lemmon credited his Bureau of Criminal
Investigation with much of that success, along with cooperation
provided by various county and local law enforcement agencies.

Lemmon could not say how much, if any, of the cocaine had been
confiscated in Huntington, but he assured The Herald-Dispatch that
state troopers are involved in combating Huntington's drug trade.

"We already have people on the ground in Huntington, whether it be
the task force or our own detachment."

Cabell County Prosecutor Chris Chiles concurred with Lemmon's
statement by saying there are multiple state drug investigators
working in Huntington and out of the public's eye.

Lemmon said those officers are often undercover, and that level of
secrecy will continue in phase two as state police fan out across
West Virginia.

"We do have more than one officer (in Huntington) and Huntington will
be a focus in this initiative, but to sit here and tell you we have
'X' amount of officers would jeopardize the operation," he said.

Lemmon said the statewide drug eradication effort requires different
strategies in different parts of the state.

For instance, he said Huntington's problem is primarily crack
cocaine, while it is heroin in the Eastern Panhandle, pharmaceuticals
in the south and methamphetamine in the central part of West Virginia.

With that said, Lemmon explained the $1 million dedicated to drug
eradication won't be spent all in one area.

"We can't neglect other areas," he said. "Yes, it's obvious in
speaking with officers there is a problem in Huntington, but with
that same response I can say there is a need in Beckley, Charleston
and other areas of the state."