STOPPING THE FLOW OF DRUGS

DEA To Open Office In Fredericksburg Area Soon

Area may get own DEA office soon

The good news is fewer illegal drugs are entering the United States. Now
for the bad news: The illegal drugs that are making it in are cheaper and
more potent.

"Drugs are very prevalent in this area, and potency is dangerously high,"
said Stafford County Sheriff Charles Jett. "We could definitely use more
reserves up here."

All told there are about a dozen or so narcotics detectives ferreting out
drugs in the area.

But reinforcements are on the way. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
officials say a permanent DEA office in the Fredericksburg area is on tap.

Right now there is a part-time DEA agent, based in Richmond, who travels to
the Fredericksburg area and works out of the FBI office.

But an offer is before Congress to add a full-time DEA office in this area.

"That's our goal," said Nick Broughton, assistant special agent in charge
of the DEA office in Richmond. "We're trying to expand to that area.
There's definitely a need."

The DEA couldn't say exactly when the office would be open, but expressed
optimism that it would happen in a year or two.

Opening a DEA office in the fast-growing Fredericksburg area would have a
positive impact on drug interdiction, said former DEA administrator, Phil
Jordan.

"I-95 is a major trafficking corridor and that area is growing by leaps and
bounds," he said.

"That would be great news," said Fredericksburg police spokesman Lt.
Richard Pennock.

"We definitely need more resources," Jett said. "Drugs effect property
crime--crimes against persons."

Officials have no definitive method of determining how much narcotics are
in the area, but seizures nationwide are way up. The jump in seizures is
attributed to tighter security measures on the southern border stemming
from the 9/11 terrorist attack.

More seizures might mean fewer narcotics are actually making it onto U.S.
streets. But competition between drug cartels in Mexico and Colombia is
driving purity up and prices down, DEA officials say, resulting in easier
access and more dangerous drugs.

"The purity of all drugs is as high as it's ever been," Jordan said.

He added that purity levels in cocaine and heroin are, "alarmingly up."

This is of concern to Virginia, Broughton said, because, "there have been
several overdoses in central Virginia."

Jett agreed: "Heroin is a big issue in this community." He said there has
been as many as 10 heroin overdoses here in the past several years.

Cocaine and heroin seized in this area are at 80 percent purity. That's
more than double what it was five years ago.

Jett said three years ago pot was selling on the street for $3,000 a pound.
Nowadays it's $1,000 a pound.

And popular pharmaceuticals--ecstasy and methamphetamines--also abound in
the area. Methamphetamines are not only being used in Virginia, but are
being made here as well.

"We're seeing an influx in lab production [in this area]. That is the
trend," Broughton said. "And ecstasy is a prevalent problem, too."

But all area law enforcement contacted said ferreting out these drugs would
become easier with a permanent DEA office in the region.

They said they are often bounced around between Washington and Richmond
when requesting federal assistance on cases.

"I only have a whopping three detectives for a large drug responsibility,
so [a local DEA office] will be a good thing," Jett said.