Alaska authorities are anticipating the receipt of $5 million in federal funds to combat illicit drug trafficking in the state, according to Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan.
That money was approved for a federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Designation earlier this year, Monegan said.
The total of $2.5 million from federal fiscal year 2018 and $2,.5 million for federal fiscal year 2018 will supplement ongoing partnerships statewide to reduce the illicit drug trade, he said.
Early priorities for the funds include supplementing drug interdiction task forces in Fairbanks, Southeast Alaska, and at the Anchorage International Airport. The money will also be used for additional law enforcement time, equipment and training, Monegan said.
