FBI HAS OTHER FISH TO FRY

The War on Terrorism unfortunately is adversely affecting the battle on
methamphetamine in the San Joaquin Valley.

As part of a redeployment of personnel to put the squeeze on terrorists,
the FBI has removed its six Central Valley special agents from a
collaborative anti-meth effort.

Ironically, the day it was announced about the FBI pullout, law enforcement
officers were shutting down a meth lab in Oildale.

The incident emphasizes that the valley continues to have a big problem
with producers and traders of meth.

Bill Ruzzamenti, based in Fresno, directs the Central Valley High Intensity
Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program designed to battle the meth trade. It
is an organization that links state, local and federal officers in a
nine-county region from Sacramento to Bakersfield. The six FBI agents
worked with HIDTA personnel.

They were assigned to HIDTA because illegal drug labs in California produce
an estimated 75 percent of meth in the United States, with more than half
produced in the Central Valley.

Dealers choose the valley to manufacture the drug because of its many
isolated areas with access to interstate state highways, making it easy to
export to the rest of the state and nation.

Ruzzamenti has a map showing links between meth produced in the valley and
drug operations elsewhere in the nation. "It has a mass of red lines
everywhere," Ruzzamenti said.

Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Bakersfield, has successfully fought for federal funds
to help battle the meth drug trade in the valley. In his plea for federal
funding two years ago, Thomas said: "Drugs produced in the Central Valley
have been tracked to every corner of the United States."

The HIDTA program now receives $2.5 million in federal funds. The funds
allow the agency to purchase digital cameras and thermal imagery equipment
cameras that can pick up undercover action from a quarter of a mile away or
more.

As prevalent as meth is in the valley, the drug would be available in much
larger quantities without HIDTA. It has produced hundreds of arrests;
dismantled hundreds of meth labs and confiscated hundreds of pounds of meth
seized.

HIDTA has a complement of award-winning agents and officers. A contingent
of HIDTA personnel just returned from Washington, D.C., where members were
given awards and honored for their diligence at a national drug-fighters'
conference.

Nevertheless, withdrawal of the FBI agents from HIDTA will have an adverse
affect. Director Ruzzamenti said he can't argue with the reason for the
pullout, "but it does create some problems for us."

Robert Pennal, a state Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement supervisor, believes
federal involvement, including funding and personnel, is crucial.

Ruzzamenti hopes federal funding to HIDTA will increase by $1 million.
Perhaps a good portion of that amount should help finance hiring additional
FBI agents who can rejoin the fight against meth in the valley.