NDIC Press Releases

2008          2007          2006          2005          2004          2003

2008 Press Releases

July 16, 2008 - National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) Release the Indian Country Drug Threat Assessment 2008. Johnstown, PA - The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), a component of the United States Department of Justice and the nation’s principal center for domestic strategic counter drug analysis, announced the publication of the Indian Country Drug Threat Assessment 2008. The report is a comprehensive, strategic assessment of the threat posed to Native American communities by drug trafficking organizations, criminal groups, and gangs and the illicit drugs they distribute on reservations throughout the United States. The report examines the operations, capabilities, and vulnerabilities of drug traffickers who exploit Indian Country and the difficulties faced by federal, state, and tribal law enforcement officials in combating drug trafficking in Native American communities.

March 5, 2008 - National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) Receives Award from the Department of Defense for Extraordinary Support of Employees Who Serve in the National Guard and Reserve.  Johnstown, PA - On March 4, 2008, Major Christopher D. McDevitt and Mr. Marty Kuhar, on behalf of the Department of Defense (DoD), presented an award to the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) for Extraordinary Support of Employees Who Serve in the National Guard and Reserves. Major McDevitt is with the Pennsylvania National Guard and Mr. Kuhar is chairman of the local chapter for the DoD’s program for Employer Support of Guard and Reserve.

January 23, 2008 - National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) Employees Pledge More than $52,000 to Local and National Charities. Johnstown, PA - On January 18, 2008, NDIC Director Michael Walther presented a check for $52,109 to Ms. Suzanne Stevens and Mr. William McKinney of the United Way of the Laurel Highlands (UWLH). This check represented total contributions made by NDIC employees to the 2007 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). A significant portion of these monies will once again be donated to the UWLH.

January 18, 2008 - National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) Receives Award from the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) - Johnstown, PA - On January 17, 2008, Mr. John Walters, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy recognized Intelligence Analyst Carla Horvath of the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), for her efforts in support of the National Marijuana Initiative (NMI) during a ceremony honoring federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and intelligence personnel involved with the disruption of illicit marijuana production. Ms. Horvath received a National Marijuana Eradication Award for her work on the recent Domestic Cannabis Cultivation Assessment 2007, a comprehensive national-level, strategic assessment of cannabis cultivation and marijuana production in the United States.

January 18, 2008 - NDIC Promotes Information Sharing with Cambria and Somerset County Police Chiefs and Narcotics Agents - Johnstown, PA  - The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) hosted 30 Police Officials and Narcotics Investigators from various Borough, Township and County departments within Cambria and Somerset Counties including the Pennsylvania State Police. The conference, held on Wednesday, January 16, 2008 was to promote information sharing of drug intelligence among law enforcement agencies in the two counties. NDIC briefed the attendees on drug trends and patterns as recently reported in the National Drug Threat Assessment.

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2007 Press Releases

December 27, 2007 - National Drug Intelligence Center Releases 2008 National Methamphetamine Threat Assessment. Johnstown, PA - The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), a component of the Department of Justice and the nation's principal center for strategic drug intelligence, has released the 2008 National Methamphetamine Threat Assessment. This strategic assessment presents an analysis of key trends and developments regarding methamphetamine production, transportation, distribution, and abuse in the United States. The assessment also offers an in-depth strategic predictive analysis of future trends.

December 5, 2007 - National Drug Intelligence Center Releases Methadone Diversion, Abuse, and Misuse: Deaths Increasing at Alarming Rate. Johnstown, PA - The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), a component of the Department of Justice and the nation's principal center for strategic drug intelligence, has released the Methadone Diversion, Abuse, and Misuse: Deaths Increasing at Alarming Rate assessment. This assessment analyzes the increase in methadone-related deaths since the late 1990s, the increase in legitimately prescribed and disbursed methadone, the theft of methadone, and increased availability of diverted methadone.

November 30, 2007 - National Drug Intelligence Center to support newly opened National Gang Intelligence Center facility. Johnstown, PA - The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) announced that it will provide analytic support regarding drug-related gang activity to the recently opened National Gang Intelligence Center of the Department of Justice (DOJ), located in Arlington, Virginia. The National Gang Intelligence Center will serve as a central location for interagency cooperation and collaboration to attack the problems caused by gangs and gang-related violence. NDIC's efforts in assisting the gang center include information collection, strategic analysis, and the production of joint national strategic intelligence products. DOJ's goal for the gang center is to achieve maximum impact at the national level against the most violent gangs in this country.

November 7, 2007 - National Drug Intelligence Center releases National Drug Threat Assessment 2008. Johnstown, PA - The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), the nation's principal center for strategic drug intelligence, has released the National Drug Threat Assessment 2008, detailing drug trafficking and abuse trends within the United States. The assessment identifies the primary drug threats to the nation, tracks drug availability throughout the country, and analyzes trafficking and distribution patterns of illicit drugs within the United States. It evaluates the threat posed by illegal drugs, comparing availability, production and cultivation, transportation, distribution, and demand.

October 20, 2007 - National Drug Intelligence Center provides key assistance to U.S. Army-IRAQ in conviction of Lieutenant Colonel William Steele. Johnstown, PA - Intelligence Analysts from the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), Johnstown, PA, provided critical assistance to the investigation and court-martial of U.S. Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel William H. Steele, Camp Liberty, IRAQ. At the request of the U.S. Army's Criminal Investigation Division, NDIC provided Document Exploitation (Doc Ex) unit support and analysis of seized evidence during the course of the investigation of Lt. Colonel Steele. In support of the court-martial, an NDIC DocEx analyst testified at the proceeding which was held at Camp Liberty.

July 2, 2007 - National Drug Intelligence Center Releases Twenty-seven Drug Market Analysis Reports for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas. Johnstown, PA - On July 2, 2007, the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), a component of the Department of Justice, will release of twenty-seven 2007 Drug Market Analysis reports. These annual reports were prepared at the request of the Executive Office of the President's Office of National Drug Control Policy for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) throughout the country. They provide strategic overviews of the illicit drug situation in the respective HIDTA market area and highlight significant trends and law enforcement concerns related to the trafficking and abuse of illicit drugs.

June 29, 2007 - National Drug Intelligence Center Provides Unique Intelligence tool to aid the Department of Defense efforts in Iraq. Johnstown, PA - The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) announced today that software they developed is supporting the Department of Defense's activities in Iraq. This software, designed and developed at the NDIC in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, provides law enforcement and intelligence personnel a unique tool to more quickly and effectively exploit electronic media captured from insurgents and members of Al Qaeda.

January 8, 2007 - National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) Employees Pledge More than $56,000 to Local and National Charities. Johnstown, PA - Employees of the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), a component agency of the U.S. Department of Justice, located in Johnstown have donated $56,328 to local and national charities as part of the federal government's annual Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). This is the largest amount contributed to the charitable campaign by NDIC employees in the agency's 14-year history. A significant portion of this year's proceeds is once again projected to be donated to the local United Way of the Laurel Highlands.

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2006 Press Releases

November 15, 2006 - The National Drug Intelligence Center has released the National Drug Threat Assessment 2007. Johnstown, PA - The National Drug Intelligence Center, a component of the Department of Justice, has released the National Drug Threat Assessment 2007 detailing national drug trafficking and abuse trends within the United States. The assessment identifies the primary drug threats to the nation, tracks drug availability throughout the country, and analyzes trafficking and distribution patterns of illicit drugs within the United States. It evaluates the threat posed by illegal drugs comparing availability, production and cultivation, transportation, distribution, and demand.

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2005 Press Releases

September 20, 2005 - NDIC Employees Volunteer to Assist in Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort. Johnstown, PA - Twenty-three employees of the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) based in Johnstown have volunteered to assist in the Federal Government's Hurricane Katrina disaster relief efforts. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has selected fifteen volunteers to date to participate in the program.

August 29, 2005 - Department of Justice Installs New Director at the National Drug Intelligence Center. Johnstown, PA - Mr. Michael F. Walther, a career federal drug prosecutor, has been appointed today as the Director of the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), a component of the Department of Justice, located on Washington Street in Johnstown, PA. As NDIC Director, Mr. Walther oversees the production of strategic drug intelligence for the counterdrug community.

April 28, 2005 - National Drug Intelligence Center Releases National Drug Threat Assessment 2005. The National Drug Intelligence Center, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice, released the Annual National Drug Threat Assessment 2005 which details national drug trafficking and abuse trends within the United States.

January 19, 2005 - National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) Employees Pledge More than $54,000 to Local and National Charities. Johnstown, PA - Employees of the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), a component agency of the U.S. Department of Justice, located in Johnstown have donated $54,722 to local and national charities as part of the federal government's annual Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).

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2004 Press Releases

May 12, 2004 - NDIC's Document Exploitation Division Receives Professional Service Award from the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA). The International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA) awarded NDIC's Document and Computer Exploitation Division with a Professional Service Award at their annual training conference held in Sacramento, CA on April 29, 2004 for their outstanding work using the Document Exploitation methodology and Real-time Analytical Intelligence Database (RAID) to assist in federal drug investigations. IALEIA, the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts, has been in existence since 1980 and has approximately 2,000 members worldwide. The purpose of IALEIA is to advance high standards of professionalism in law enforcement intelligence analysis at the local, state/provincial, national and international levels.

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2003 Press Releases

October 06, 2003 - Attorney General John Ashcroft Presents Community Service Award to the Employee Community Outreach Association of the National Drug Intelligence Center. The Employee Community Outreach Association (ECOA) of the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) located in Johnstown received the Attorney General's Community Service Award last Tuesday from Attorney General John Ashcroft at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC.

April 10, 2003 - Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Visits the National Drug Intelligence Center in Johnstown to Discuss Coordination of Illicit Drug Intelligence. Johnstown, PA - John P. Walters, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), visited the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) in Johnstown today to receive a series of briefings and to discuss new ways NDIC can provide viable, strategic drug intelligence to assist ONDCP in its mission. He also toured the Center and spoke to NDIC employees about the nation's counterdrug efforts.

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