NEW FEDERAL FORCE TO BATTLE DRUGS IN E. WASHINGTON, N. IDAHO

SPOKANE -- A new federal task force has been formed to battle drug
trafficking organizations in Eastern Washington and northern Idaho.

"People who are dealing drugs are also frequently involved in money
laundering and firearms," said Selby Smith, newly named regional drug
boss for the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The new task force includes DEA agents working with agents from the
FBI, IRS, U.S. Customs and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and
Firearms. The task force is housed in downtown Spokane.

"The purpose of this new task force is to come at drug organizations
at every level of illegal criminal conduct -- drugs, guns, money
laundering, tax evasion," Smith said.

The task force's region includes 300 miles of the U.S.-Canada border,
where smuggling of a potent form of marijuana known as "B.C. Bud"
continues to flourish.

The task force also is responsible for federal drug investigations
throughout the Idaho Panhandle, from Lewiston to the Canadian border.

Methamphetamine production and distribution is the No. 1 drug problem
in the region, Smith said.

Most large quantities of meth being sold in the Spokane area are
coming from dealers with ties to the illegal immigrant community in
Yakima, Smith said.