NORTH IDAHO — Idaho State Police’s Domestic Highway Enforcement (DHE) team has recently completed a drug enforcement operation in North Idaho to locate illegal drugs being transported through the state.
As part of Governor Brad Little’s “Esto Perpetua,” the DHE team was created to help eliminate drug trafficking through the state of Idaho. The team is compromised of 14 members, including seven canine handlers, that travel throughout Idaho to combat this epidemic.
During their North Idaho operation, the DHE team teamed up with ISP’s District 1 Investigative Unit, US Custom and Border patrol, Rathdrum Police Department, Probation and Parole from Idaho Department of Corrections and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
With all these agencies working together they had:
99 traffic stops50 misdemeanor drug charges21 drug cases14 felony cases8 methamphetamine cases5 trafficking or delivery cases4 fentanyl cases2 felony endangerment to child charges2 false identity charges2 arrest warrants 2 open alcohol container charges1 felony charge for failing to register as a sex offender
The DHE also highlights other incidents that the team handled:
Seized 1.4 pounds of methamphetamineSeized 300 fentanyl pills and small amount of methamphetamineFound nearly 2 ounces of methamphetamine hidden inside a vehicleFound multiple baggies of methamphetamine intended for sale in Shoshone CountyDuring traffic stop, two children were taken into protective custody when their parents possessed large amounts of fentanyl.These two kids had not eaten for 24 hours and were surrounded by other illegal drugs in the car. DHE is working with Child protective Services to get them care.
The DHE team is a “multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency, prosecutor-supported approach.”
ISP expressed that they are, “extremely proud of the collaborative efforts with outstanding agencies for this enforcement operation. The emphasis on illegal substance interdiction is essential for enhancing public health, ensuring community safety, protecting youth, and mitigating drug-related crimes.”
