Ayotte: 'We Have a Heroin Epidemic' in NH

Submitted by the Office of U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH):

At two hearings on Capitol Hill today, U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) expressed concerns about the heroin epidemic in New Hampshire, which has seen a sharp increase in deaths as a result of heroin overdoses.  She questioned Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Defense Department officials about efforts among federal agencies and state and local law enforcement agencies to curb drug-trafficking.

“In my state, we have a heroin epidemic right now,” said Ayotte at today’s Armed Services Committee hearing.  “We’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of drug deaths in New Hampshire, and I don’t believe New Hampshire’s unique with regard to what’s happening with heroin right now.”

Ayotte asked the commanders of U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command for an assessment of what actions the government is taking to identify and stop transnational drug-trafficking rings, particularly those that traffic across the U.S.-Mexico border.

General Charles Jacoby, Jr., Commander of U.S. Northern Command – which includes the U.S.-Mexico border – said that taking down drug cartels is challenging because of their ability to easily adapt to changing market demands and locate processing facilities closer to the border.

“It’s very troubling…the adaptability of the transnational criminal organizations, to move from one product to the next,” he said.  “So, obviously, heroin’s become more profitable.  And now they have production and processing facilities closer to the market.  So this is a good market value for them to be pushing heroin.”

Ayotte raised the same concerns at today’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing with Secretary Johnson, who confirmed that the Department of Homeland Security and Defense Department officials work together on counter-narcotics operations to disrupt drug-trafficking networks.

“As you know, these drug-trafficking networks also support a whole array of other criminal activities including human trafficking, including terrorist funding as well,” said Ayotte.  “So this heroin epidemic…we’re seeing it in my own state, and it’s unfortunate, it’s something we’ve got to get hold of and get better coordination among all the agencies on it.”

“A big part of our mission is counter narcotics and we’ve got to attack the networks – I believe that,” Secretary Johnson said.

As New Hampshire’s attorney general from 2004 to 2009, Ayotte led the New Hampshire Drug Task Force and worked closely with state and local law enforcement to boost efforts to combat drug abuse, drug-trafficking and other drug-related crimes.