International Association of Chiefs of Police Recognizes North Dakota U.S. Attorney’s Office with Leadership Award

Fargo - U.S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota was awarded the “Leadership in the Prevention of Transnational Crime Award” from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).

Founded in 1893, IACP is a professional association for law enforcement worldwide, representing more than 30,000 members in more than 150 countries.  IACP provides members with the opportunities to connect, participate, learn, advocate, and succeed. Throughout the past 100-plus years, IACP has launched historically acclaimed programs, conducted ground-breaking research, and provided exemplary programs and services across the globe.  Professionally recognized programs such as the FBI Identification Division and the Uniform Crime Records system can trace their origins back to the IACP.

The award was presented at the IACP Annual Conference on October 9, 2018.            U.S. Attorney Myers accepted the award on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He also  addressed the Transnational Crime Subcommittee meeting during the Conference.  The conference was attended by over 18,000 law enforcement officials from all over the world.

U.S. Attorney Myers stated, “I am honored that our office has been recognized as a leader in battling transnational criminal organizations by such a prestigious international organization like IACP. The credit goes to the fantastic employees of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the special team of agents and prosecutors that have spent the last 3 ½ years investigating and prosecuting ‘Operation Denial’”. 

This leadership award resulted from the investigation and prosecution of “Operation Denial,” an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation into the international trafficking of fentanyl and other lethal drugs, and was significantly aided by the national and international coordination led by the multi-agency Special Operations Division (S.O.D.) near Washington D.C. as part of “Operation Deadly Merchant.” The investigation started in North Dakota on Jan. 3, 2015, with the overdose death in Grand Forks of 18-year-old Bailey Henke. To date, thirty-two (32) defendants have been charged as a result of the investigation

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Portland, Oregon, Police Bureau – Drugs and Vice Division; IRS-Criminal Investigations Division;  Portland HIDTA Interdiction Task Force; Oregon State Police; and the Grand Forks Police Department. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

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