Representative Steve Daines Calls for Action Against Drug Trafficking, Other Related Crimes in Eastern Montana

Today Representative Steve Daines pushed for an increased federal effort to combat the recent influx of drug trafficking and related crime in the Bakken region of eastern Montana.

In a pair of letters sent to the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Justice, Daines called for a "comprehensive, forward-looking strategy" to address the escalating law enforcement challenges in the Bakken.

"Area judicial and law enforcement officials, however, have conveyed strong and intensifying concerns that dedicated federal resources are currently inadequate and have expressed the critical need for additional federal support in Eastern Montana," Daines said. "After conversations with them, it is clear to me that a larger federal presence located directly in the Bakken communities is critical for the region’s safety and continued growth."

According to a Montana Board of Crime Control report, crime in the Bakken region, which encompasses Daniels, Richland, Roosevelt and Sheridan counties, increased 228 percent between 2008 and 2012.

The use and distribution of methamphetamines has been a particularly pervasive issue in the region.