District 9 of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, which includes the Athens post, logged 858 drug arrests during 2008, more than any other district in the state.
They are aggressive as far as drug intervention
said Sgt. Karla Taulbee, state highway patrol spokeswoman. Drugs moved from Columbus or Detroit to Charleston travel through Southeast Ohio's district 9, Taulbee said.
Despite comprising 16 percent of the state's drug arrests, the district's arrests are slightly lower than 2007. The Athens post arrests are down as well: the post arrested 114 people for drug violations in 2008 compared with 144 arrests in 2007.
The highway patrol's focus is regulating traffic and reducing vehicle fatalities, so most drug arrests start as traffic violations, said Sgt. Richard Meadows, district 9 criminal patrol coordinator.
Education of high school students and working with other law enforcement help limit drug trafficking, Taulbee said.
Troopers hold days when they blitz certain routes with high traffic volume to monitor driving violations, said Lt. Jeff Skinner, commander of the Athens post.
When talking to people if we recognize the odor of marijuana that might lead to narcotic seizures
said Skinner, adding canine units are helpful in detecting drugs.
The state seized 5.2 million grams of narcotics in 2008, valued at $47 million, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
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Jessie Balmert
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