KTVB.COM

Posted on November 17, 2013 at 4:11 PM

Updated Sunday, Nov 17 at 4:11 PM



BOISE -- Law enforcement agencies around Idaho launched expanded DUI patrols Sunday.

The extra enforcement, in conjunction with education campaigns, is set to run through the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Idaho Transportation Department's Office of Highway Safety made funds available to local police agencies to pay for the expanded patrols.

"ITD's goal is not one death, because every life counts," said Kevin Bechen, with ITD. "We're committed to doing everything we can to help keep families safe and whole."

According to ITD, last year, impaired driving contributed to 1,454 crashes on Idaho's highways and caused 73 fatalities statewide.

Bechen offered the following tips to make this Thanksgiving holiday safer:

• If you plan on consuming alcohol, designate a sober driver before leaving and give that person your keys.
• Call a taxi, sober friend or family member to get you home safely if you are impaired.
• Promptly report drunk drivers to law enforcement.
• Wear your seat belt while in your car or use a helmet and protective gear when on a motorcycle. These are the best defenses against an impaired driver.
• If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, take his or her keys and help make other safe travel arrangements.
• Questions? Visit ITD online here and check travel conditions here or dial 5-1-1.

MERIDIAN -- Idaho State Police say they're seeing a lot more marijuana trafficked through the state than they used to.

"Over the last five years, we've tripled the amount of drug seizures in regards to marijuana," said Lt. Brad Doty.

In the last fiscal year, ISP seized 806 pounds of pot on Interstate 84, Interstate 86 and other Idaho highways. Doty says they are already on pace to soundly beat that number again. Just last weekend, state police in American Falls seized more than 100 pounds of marijuana in three separate busts.

Why the increase? Doty says it has nothing to do with anything that's changed in Idaho, rather within the nearby states. "As those states that surround us lessen their marijuana laws our drug seizures have increased."

Oregon, California, and Nevada have all decriminalized marijuana and legalized medical marijuana. Washington and Colorado have legalized medical and recreational use.

"So basically, the large grows in Idaho will get you a lot of jail time," said Doty. "Large grows in those states where it's not a crime to possess marijuana, won't."

Doty says traffickers often take marijuana from those legal grow sites in those other states and bring it into and through Idaho to the Midwest to sell it. Since it's illegal here there's higher demand and bigger profits, which is why Doty also believes this trafficking trend will only continue. "The seizures are getting larger and larger, some of the largest I've ever seen in my career."

But, Doty says traffickers often aren't just trafficking drugs, they're committing other crimes too. "It can trickle into other aspects of law enforcement. So, whether that's thefts or burglaries or other crimes that are all contributed to or surround drug interdiction or drug enforcement. So, the more marijuana that we can seize off the road, obviously leads to more convictions with other crimes, as well."

Fourteen weapons were seized during drug trafficking busts last year.

Doty also stressed that not all users are traffickers, but reminded everyone that Idaho doesn't issue or recognize medical marijuana cards.

In order to help battle this trafficking, ISP is adding three drug detection dogs next year.

KTVB.COM
Posted on November 13, 2013 at 5:52 PM
Updated Wednesday, Nov 13 at 6:17 PM