HIDTA Overview

The CVC HIDTA was established in 1999 to address the threat posed to the region by illicit drugs. The HIDTA region comprises Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare Counties, encompassing over 28,000 square miles in Central California; approximately 5 million people reside in the region.

A well-developed transportation infrastructure in the region provides for the smooth flow of commerce, which facilitates transshipment and distribution of illicit drugs and drug proceeds to and through the area. The optimal climate and growing conditions in Central California that support the region's robust agricultural industry also sustain highly lucrative outdoor cannabis cultivation operations run by Mexican DTOs and Asian criminal groups. Additionally, the diverse migrant worker population in the HIDTA region, which is necessary for Central California's agricultural industry, provides a heightened degree of anonymity for drug distributors and criminal groups operating in the area.

To Top      To Contents     To Previous Page     To Next Page

To Publications Page     To Home Page