News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2003

New Haven Drug Task Force Wins Teamwork Award

Today, the men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration's New England Field Division, New Haven District Office (NHDO) and 2 Assistant United States Attorneys from the District of Connecticut were awarded the Administrator's Award for Outstanding Group Achievement for their ability to work together as a team putting together some of the most significant and successful cases during the past two years.

The twenty-member task force was recognized with this prestigious award for their work on three complex wiretap investigations. Two of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigations were linked to major international initiatives. These NHDO investigations were the catalyst for significant investigations in New York and California, which resulted in the successful dismantling of Dominican and Mexican cocaine trafficking organizations. The third case targeted a violent inner-city crack cocaine drug trafficking group that had been in existence for over ten years. Combined, these men and women completed thirty Federal Court authorized wiretaps and 4 Federal Court authorized intercepts on paging devices. Their hard work and dedication resulted in the federal arrests of 76 defendants, 70 of whom have pled guilty; the seizure of over 33 kilograms of cocaine & crack cocaine and the seizure of over $650,000.00 in U.S. currency and other assets.

The New Haven District Office was created in 1992 and is made up of DEA Special Agents and administrative staff, Officers from New Haven Police Department and West Haven Police Department and a member of the Connecticut National Guard. Special Agent in Charge Mark R. Trouville credits the New Haven District Office's successes on their ability to focus on the task at hand. "When these men and women report to work, they leave their badges and egos at the door. They don't compete amongst themselves for credit, cases or statistics. They come to work and do what they do best, work as a team to target and arrest drug traffickers." states Mr. Trouville.