United States Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D - Hawaii) joined General Barry McCaffrey, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), at a conference to announce that Hawaii is one of five new High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) designated by the Director. Hawaii joins central California, Oregon, Ohio, and New England as new HIDTAs. There are currently 21 HIDTAs nationwide.

HIDTAs are federal, state, and local partnerships designed to fight drug trafficking in areas faced with significant narcotics problems. The partnerships assess regional drug threats, design strategies to respond to hazards, and generate initiatives to implement the strategies. The Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy designates and coordinates HIDTAs.

"This partnership will help Hawaii's law enforcement community fight the trafficking of narcotics in the state," Akaka noted. "Increased anti-drug funding and close cooperation with their counterparts on the mainland and federal drug enforcement agencies will aid local police efforts to interdict the flow of drugs in our communities. In addition, the expertise and experience of local law enforcement will increase the effectiveness of counter-drug efforts across the country, particularly in fighting the spread of crystal methamphetamine. Hawaii's law enforcement agencies and health officials were the first to identify the threat of crystal meth, known in the islands as 'ice.'"

In 1990, Senator Akaka successfully proposed the first federal legislation to increase the penalties for trafficking in ice. He also sponsored legislation to place restrictions on the purchase of precursor drugs – the chemical components used to manufacture crystal meth. Hawaii's police, prosecutors, public officials, and federal law enforcement agents remain at the forefront of U.S. efforts to block the importation and manufacture of ice.