Lance Sumpter addresses the Republican Club.
Lynne Kelsey
At the April 5 meeting of the Robson Ranch Republican Club, Justice Mike Wallach of the Second Court of Appeals described how he became interested in the problems of drug trafficking in Texas through the experience of a relative. He then introduced Lance Sumpter, Director of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area—Texoma, which includes Texas and Oklahoma. Sumpter oversees a coalition of agencies, including the Texas National Guard Joint Counterdrug Task Force, who work together to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle drug and money laundering organizations that affect our communities. He described drug cartels as engaging in “illegal capitalism” and noted that there were over 108,174 overdose deaths in 2022 and that 6 out of 10 fake medicine tablets contain lethal doses of fentanyl. Drug cartels are able to produce tablets that look almost exactly like the real commercially-manufactured drug, making chances of an accidental poisoning even higher. While there is no excuse for drug addiction, Sumpter pointed out that a majority of addicts suffer from adverse childhood experiences, including abuse, neglect, and/or household dysfunction.
Knowing these facts is crucial if parents and grandparents are to help keep the children and young adults of the community safe from dangerous drugs. The website www.dea.gov/operations/hidta contains a wealth of information that could help save a loved one.