Southwest Va. county ID’d by anti-drug agency

ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s Tazewell (TAZ’-wehl) County has been designated a “high intensity drug trafficking area,” which opens the door to federal resources to disrupt drug trafficking.

The designation was announced Tuesday by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Tazewell County was added to the Appalachia localities already designated as high drug trafficking areas.

U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy says the designation will assist law enforcement in the battle against opiate abuse in southwest Virginia. The assistance includes training, overtime and equipment.

The program is also billed as a catalyst for coordination among state, federal and local law enforcement agencies.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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