To Support New Strategy, ONDCP Announces $275 Million to Disrupt Drug Trafficking, and Illicit Finance

During trip to Houston, Dr. Gupta announces an increase in funding for law enforcement officials on the front lines of the overdose epidemic

HOUSTON, TX – Today, Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), announced $275 million for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program. This funding supports implementation of President Biden’s new National Drug Control Strategy by providing additional resources to 33 regional HIDTAs working to reduce violence associated with drug trafficking, improve interdiction efforts through enhanced data sharing and targeting, and dismantle illicit finance operations. The funding also supports public health and safety partnerships like the Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) – a partnership between the HIDTA program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that works to reduce overdoses, and ODMAP – a surveillance tool used to track suspected drug overdoses in real time nationwide.

“This funding supports President Biden’s new comprehensive Strategy to go after two drivers of the overdose epidemic: untreated addiction and drug trafficking,” said Dr. Gupta. “It will provide the brave men and women on the front lines of the overdose epidemic with new resources to dismantle drug trafficking and illicit finance operations, and support evidence-based public health and safety partnerships working to reduce overdoses and save lives.”

Background

The 33 HIDTAs coordinate Federal, state, local, and tribal drug enforcement efforts across the nation. Each year, HIDTAs assess the drug threats in their communities and develop strategies to address those threats. According to the most recent HIDTA Program Successes Report, in 2021, HIDTAs seized $26.1 billion worth of illicit drugs and disrupted or dismantled over 3,100 drug trafficking and money laundering organizations across the country.

In addition, HIDTA supports public health and safety partnerships like ORS  – a unique collaboration between CDC and the HIDTA program designed to help communities reduce fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses by connecting public health and public safety agencies, sharing information, and supporting evidence-based interventions. 

The Biden-Harris Administration has already taken significant actions to address addiction and the overdose epidemic based on the President’s Drug Policy Priorities for Year One.

Read the Biden-Harris Administration’s inaugural National Drug Control Strategy HERE.

Read the fact sheet on the Strategy HERE.