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RAC Doug Lamplugh DEA Youngstown Boosts Local Law Enforcement With Asset Sharing Revenues SEPT 17--Youngstown, Ohio- On September 17th, 2003, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Youngstown, Ohio announced the presentation of over $100,000.00 in drug-related asset forfeiture sharing revenues to nine law enforcement agencies in the Mahoning Valley area. These revenues represent proceeds from a narcotics investigation conducted by the DEA Youngstown Task Force. The Asset Forfeiture Sharing Program allows local and state law enforcement agencies that participate in narcotics investigations with DEA to share in the proceeds that are seized from drug traffickers as a result of their illegal activities. Once the drug-related assets are seized, they are processed through the local United States Attorney's Offices and upon final forfeiture orders, the revenues can be split among the state and local agencies based on their participation and resources provided. By federal law, the revenues must be used to enhance law enforcement related programs or to purchase law enforcement related equipment. The local police agencies are able to have a profound impact on their communities with these dollars for drug-related education programs, enhancing drug enforcement or purchasing much needed drug enforcement equipment for their departments. "We are very proud of the Youngstown DEA Task Force and their accomplishments which are having a visible impact on the local area in the Mahoning Valley. These successes are not possible without the strong partnerships and commitments from all of the police departments to the DEA and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force", said Anthony Marotta, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Ohio Offices. The asset sharing amounts represent forfeited assets from recent criminal investigations conducted in the Mahoning Valley area and elsewhere. The United States Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Ohio is instrumental in this program and its extensive efforts to facilitate these forfeitures.
The drug-related asset revenues were distributed in the following sums: Asset sharing checks were also awarded to several police agencies outside the Youngstown area for their participation and resources in the successful conclusion of this investigation. ##### |
