Pubdate: Sat, 01 Dec 2001
Source: Fresno Bee, The (CA)
Copyright: 2001 The Fresno Bee
Contact:  http://www.fresnobee.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/161
Author: Michael Doyle
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

U.S. LAUDS VALLEY METH FIGHTERS

Program that covers nine counties has received three awards.

WASHINGTON -- The Central Valley's federally funded meth fighters have won 
national kudos for their efforts.

The Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program has secured 
three awards from national officials for a nine-county campaign that began 
only a year ago. That's more than any other similar program nationwide.

"We're excited about it, because we're one of the least-funded and newest 
HIDTAs," said Bill Ruzzamenti, the director of the Central Valley program 
in Fresno.

In particular, the awards honor two task forces in Modesto and Fresno and 
an intelligence analyst in Fresno for their efforts. Nearly two dozen of 
the Central Valley agents and officers will be trekking east to Washington 
next week for a three-day conference, at which Drug Enforcement 
Administration Administrator Asa Hutchinson will be presenting the 
nonmonetary awards.

With $2.5 million in annual federal funding, the Central Valley HIDTA 
coordinates an anti-methamphetamine campaign between Kern and Sacramento 
counties. Though it has six employees, including Ruzzamenti, most of the 
actual drug-busting is done by various task forces of state, federal and 
local agents.

It is one of 28 HIDTAs nationwide, each designed to target regional drug 
problems and funnel federal resources.

"These guys are the best of the best even to be considered, which is pretty 
neat," Ruzzamenti said.

The Central Valley program's three awards also amount to a relatively big 
slice of the 16 awards being given this year, in the third year of the 
HIDTA awards program.

"These awards recognize the tireless efforts of the men and women of this 
HIDTA," Edward Jurith, acting director of the White House Office of 
National Drug Control Policy, said in a statement issued Friday. "The 
Central Valley region and the entire country are well-served by the 
commitment of these professionals."

The Office of National Drug Control Policy is commonly called the drug 
czar's office. Since retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey left office in 
January, it has not had a permanent director confirmed by the Senate.

In some cases, the awards honor individual effort. Greg McAllister, for 
one, is an intelligence analyst for the Central Valley group and, in his 
spare time, he's a volunteer chaplain for the Fresno Police Department. He 
puts out a quarterly report on the program's activities and analyzes 
developing problems. Most recently, that has included a rise in the use of 
pseudoephedrine from Canada.

This is a precursor chemical, used in the production of methamphetamine. 
With its remote rural reach and immigrant population that gets tapped by 
Mexican organized crime groups, the Central Valley is considered the 
nation's leading producer of the dangerous and illicit stimulant.

A task force from Modesto is being honored for outstanding interdiction 
efforts. The Stanislaus-San Joaquin-Merced Methamphetamine Task Force, with 
nine officers from different agencies, cracked a ring last year that was 
hauling serious drugs into the San Joaquin Valley.

Starting in Modesto, the investigators ended up in Southern California, 
where agents seized 22 pounds of black-tar heroin in a car's fuel tank, 20 
more pounds of heroin in a house and 57 pounds of cocaine. The same 
investigation continued to include further seizures in Hayward.

Another HIDTA task force from Fresno was selected as the best example of a 
cooperative effort. The 16 agents and officers in the Fresno 
Methamphetamine Task Force come from eight different agencies and are 
credited with 180 arrests.

"Information obtained from confidential informants and suspects indicates 
that Mexican [gangs] are becoming leery of operating in Fresno because they 
believe it is too 'hot' right now," the award nomination for the Fresno 
task force said.
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