(Washington, D.C) U.S. Congressman Sam Graves announced he has secured $352,000 in funding for the Northwest Missouri Interagency Team Response Operation (NITRO) in a bill that passed the House late Monday. The funding will be for personnel, transportation and communication needs. 

 

“NITRO has had tremendous success disrupting and finding those who prey on our children with dangerous drugs,” said Graves. “This is a home-grown approach that works for Northwest Missouri. I’m proud to be a part of the team.”

 

The funding was requested by Graves and included in the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill that passed the House of Representatives earlier this year. However a final bill never made it to the President’s desk. Instead, funding was included in the Omnibus Appropriations Bill that passed the House on Monday night. That bill is expected to be passed in the Senate and sent to the President this week.

 

From January 1, 2006, to March 1, 2007, NITRO has opened 59 Federal or State cases, conducted 96 Federal or State search warrants and consent searches. They have seized 432.50 ounces of marijuana, 180 ounces of methamphetamine, 5.53 ounces of cocaine, 2 grams of heroin, and 1052 Ecstasy pills. 106 arrests on 221 different charges have been made with 114 firearms being seized.

 

Since 2002, 150 cases have yielded 324 different defendants. Those who were convicted received a total of 12,399 months in Federal or State Confinement facilities.

  

Created in 2002, NITRO is a multi-jurisdictional Drug and Violent crime Task Force that operates in the 16 county area of Northwest Missouri. Counties included are Andrew, Atchison, Caldwell, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Livingston, Mercer, Putnam, Sullivan, Nodaway and Worth.

 

Graves has been able to secure over $1 million in funding for the NITRO Task Force since 2002.

 

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