DESCHUTES TAPPED AS HIGH DRUG ZONE

Federal officials this morning designated Deschutes County and two
other Oregon counties as high drug trafficking areas, making $600,000
available for narcotics enforcement.

Deschutes, Jackson, and Marion counties in Oregon join four other
regions-- central California, Hawaii, New Endland and a section of
Ohio-- in gaining the federal designation.

The five new regions join 21 existing " High-Intensity Drug Trafficing
Areas."

The Highway 97 corridor is considered one of the primary routes for
drug dealers moving methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico through
California into the Nortwest. In addition, methamphetamine use in
Deschutes County is on the rise, narcotic enforcement officials say.

The announcement of the designation was made this morning in
Washington D.C. by Barry McCaffery, director of the White House Office
of National Drug Control Policy.

Deschutes County Sheriff Greg Brown was unavailable for comment on
the designation this morning.

In Madras, considered the primary distribution point for drugs in the
region, Police Chief Dan Kneal said that drug trafficking is a problem
throughout Central Oregon. But he said he is pleased that Deschutes
County was designated for federal funding.

" I'll settle for the fact that they're getting one in this area, and
hopefuly it will have an impact," Kneal said.

" It may be located in Deschutes County, but I would hope that it
would come this way because we're a part of the ( Central Oregon )
task force. "

Under the coordination of McCaffery's office, the drug trafficking
areas emphasize teamwork between state, local and federal authorities
to reduce the distribution of illicit narcotics.

Regional drug problems are assessed and narcotics enforcement officers
design strategies to combat the spread of drugs.

Most of the areas target law enforcement and drug intradiction,
although treatment and prevention initiatives have been included in
regions ranging from south Florida to the southwestern border to
Washington D.C. and Baltimore.

The budget for the entire drug trafficking program has risen from $90
million in 1990 to $162 million in the 1998 fiscal year.

As a result of the newer funding, an office will be established in
Salem to serve as a clearinghouse on drug-related information for all
36 Oregon counties, said Mary Healy, press secretary for Oregon Sen.
Gordon Smith.

" In that sense everyone will benefit regardless of which county you
live in," she said

Smith and Sen. Ron Wyden have worked for more than a year on gaining a
designation for the state. Healy said. Originally the senators were
hoping to earn a statewide designation in the 2000 fiscal year, but
the three counties were included in the 1999 fiscal year. " We're
still trying to get a statewide designation," Healy said.

Dave Selin, communications director for Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, said
the program is considered one of the more successful undertakings by
the federal government in the crackdown on illicit drugs. " Sen. Wyden
certainly is very gratified that Central Oregon's drug problem is
getting the attention it deserves," he said.