Trafficking of fentanyl, opioids and other illegal drugs is alive and well in the Northwest and often aimed at the region’s Indian reservations, says U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell [D-Washington].
Cantwell and other members of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee focused on the need for more federal assistance to help local drug enforcement agencies during a hearing Wednesday.
Spokane U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref said Northwest authorities have had some success this year intercepting dangerous drugs.
During her presentation, Waldref cited a drug bust last April, near Oroville in Okanogan County, at which officers from several agencies seized more than 100 pounds of illegal drugs, including 161,000 pills containing fentanyl. She said much of that was destined for distribution on the Colville Reservation. Five people have been charged in connection with that.
Waldref credited increased cooperation between enforcement agencies at several levels. She said tribal agencies have provided important information leading to drug seizures and convictions. She said local agencies helped the FBI with another major drug raid in Yakima County last January, during which more than 120,000 fentanyl pills, 42 pounds of methamphetamine and $150,000 were found, some of the drugs believed to be headed to the Yakama Reservation.
Despite those two success cases, Waldref said the region has far to go before it controls its growing drug problem.
“The department recognizes the widespread availability and misuse of drugs in Indian Country, coupled with drug trafficking groups operating in Indian Country, contribute to the high rates of crime on reservations,” she said. “Every United States Attorney with Indian Country responsibilities has worked to develop strategies to address both drug trafficking crimes in Indian Country and the violent crimes that are associated with drug trafficking and substance abuse disorder.”
Cantwell reinforced Waldref’s cautionary message.
“Last week, Kalispel Tribe law enforcement officers seized another 18,000 fentanyl-laced pills in Airway Heights, just outside of Spokane,” she said. “Make no mistake about it, the fentanyl crisis is a flood of poison entering Indian Country and communities and it is not a crisis that our tribes can face alone.”
Cantwell said, even though there’s more interagency cooperation, tribal law enforcement doesn’t have nearly enough resources to monitor and respond to the drug trade.
In addition to its enforcement work, Waldref says her office is working with the Drug Enforcement Administration to develop opportunities to increase awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and other opioids.
