Renacci on Cincinnati Drug Smuggling: ‘Ohio Becoming Top Target for Drug Traffickers Under DeWine’

January 10, 2022

"I will dedicate every resource possible to reversing this scourge and make it clear that any drug traffickers who touch Ohio will have hell to pay."

The Port of Cincinnati became one of the busiest ports of entry for smuggling in the U.S. in 2021, a reminder that Ohio has become a top target of drug traffickers under Mike DeWine:

The Port of Cincinnati announced it seized 1,451 shipments containing 12,540 pounds of illegal narcotics and prescription drugs during FY 2021, more than twice the amount seized the previous year.
Federal prosecutors have been targeting an increase in 'dark web' trafficking of out-of-state drugs into Ohio.
Ohio saw a 26% increase in fatal drug overdoses in 2021, following a 21% increase in 2020 and regions in Ohio are reporting record-high drug seizures and overdose deaths.

Jim Renacci issued the following statement in response:

"This sobering headline confirms that Ohio is becoming a top target for illegal drug traffickers who are murdering thousands of Ohioans each year. For the second year in a row, drug trafficking and drug overdoses are skyrocketing in our state under Mike DeWine's watch. I am beyond thankful for the diligent men and women who are working around the clock to keep Ohio as safe as possible, but it's clear that President Trump was right: our state and our nation won't truly be safe unless our leaders start cracking down from the top and stop drug traffickers from exploiting our state. As governor, I will dedicate every resource possible to reversing this scourge and make it clear that any drug traffickers who touch Ohio will have hell to pay."