Pubdate: Wed, 25 Sep 2002 Source: Anchorage Daily News (AK) Copyright: 2002 The Anchorage Daily News Contact: http://www.adn.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/18 Author: Tataboline Brant DEA BOLSTERS ITS ALASKA PRESENCE DRUGS: Agency Upgrades Anchorage To District Office. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is beefing up its presence in Alaska to crack down on the increasing flow of illicit drugs into the state and to curb the illegal substances being manufactured here. The DEA upgraded its Anchorage resident office to a district office in June - -- the first step in a long-term plan that includes upgrading a Fairbanks post and opening bureaus in Juneau and the Mat-Su Borough. "We were unstaffed for a while, and we're stepping up to the plate on that," said Zoran Yankovich, who was promoted in June to assistant special agent in charge of the new office. "We're showing that we care about places in rural America." The DEA is the premier agency for domestic enforcement of federal drug laws and has sole responsibility for coordinating and pursuing U.S. drug investigations abroad, according to its Web site. Yankovich, a 15-year veteran of the DEA, cited increased drug activity as a primary reason the agency is putting more resources in Alaska. Hard numbers were not available Tuesday, as Yankovich was traveling. "Seizures have increased over the years," Yankovich said. "Most of the (illicit) drugs found here are imported except marijuana." Drug trends in Alaska are no different than in the Lower 48, "except Alaska is the end of the road," Yankovich said. "We're a consumer state." Another thing that propelled the upgrade of the Anchorage office is that the DEA gets a lot of cooperation from federal, state and local agencies in Alaska. "That is a big plus," Yankovich said. "I think that helped the DEA in making up their mind." Anchorage Police Patrol Captain Audie Holloway said agencies in Alaska "work very well together." He worked closely with the DEA from 1996 to 2002 as commander of the Metropolitan Drug Unit. "We realize that since we're so removed ... we have to work together," he said. "None of us have the total capabilities to do this on our own." Holloway was glad to hear the DEA was expanding in Alaska. "We certainly could use it," he said. "We have a much bigger drug problem up here than people seem to realize." Holloway said the DEA helps with investigations by offering equipment, expertise, strategies and sometimes, prosecution in federal court, where sentences tend to be more severe than in state courts. And, Holloway added: "Having the DEA take a firm stand on marijuana keeps this state from going overboard on being too lenient on our marijuana laws." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom