Criminal activity is occurring on our highways – and one of the most egregious crimes are the large shipments of illegal narcotics being transported on our public roadways that are destined to eventually wind up in our communities.

For years, the Ohio State Highway Patrol has enjoyed a reputation as a leading law enforcement agency in drug interdiction and security issues.

Last year state troopers interdicted more than 7,000 pounds of illegal narcotics with a street value of nearly $53.8 million dollars - all right out of traffic stops.

I am frequently asked why state troopers are so successful at finding illegal drug shipments. It starts and ends with our troopers.

From a trooper’s first day on the job emphasis is placed on the quality of each traffic contact. Troopers are encouraged to spend whatever time is necessary to ensure that motorists understand why they were stopped. Sometimes as part of that contact, troopers perceive indicators of criminal activity. Because of this attention to detail, we achieve remarkable success in apprehending suspected drug couriers, car thieves, and other criminals.

By taking extra time during each traffic stop, and paying close attention to possible indicators of criminal activity, what on the surface seems to be a rather routine traffic stop can turn into something much more significant.

When we stop a shipment of cocaine, marijuana, heroin, or some other illegal narcotic before it enters your city, we are able to stop the spread of these drugs which can permeate your neighborhood like a disease. Examples of these impactful cases initiated by state troopers can be found in the Newsroom section of our Web site, http://statepatrol.ohio.gov/media.stm.

Aviation also plays a significant role in our success relative to marijuana eradication. The Ohio State Highway Patrol maintains an Aviation Section consisting of 15 uniformed officer-pilots, two American Eurocopter turbine-powered helicopters, and 14 Cessna airplanes.

Marijuana plants can be easy to detect from the air, depending on the venue in which they are planted. Coloration differences and geometric planting and growing patterns on the ground alert pilots to the probability of marijuana plants being grown among other agricultural crops.

Last year, Patrol pilots through aerial observation were responsible for 564 marijuana plants being eradicated. It is said that a mature marijuana plant has a street value of $1,000. The Highway Patrol also has an active marijuana identification and eradication program with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.

The benefits of having this type of aerial detection, which is available to other Ohio law enforcement, not only deters this type of crime, but also enhances relations between the Patrol and other law enforcement agencies in the state.

Our 19 canine units are also an integral part of our drug interdiction success.

A dog’s sense of smell is said to be a thousand times more sensitive than that of humans and dogs can sense odors at concentrations nearly 100 million times lower than humans. With proper training and handling, law enforcement agencies have discovered that “man’s best friend” can help detect criminal activity, locate missing persons, and provide a host of other important services.

Since first joining the active ranks in the early 1990s, Patrol canines have proven to be well-trained and reliable in assisting troopers and officers from other law enforcement agencies with detecting the presence of illegal drugs. In recent years, our drug detecting canines and their trooper handlers have been particularly busy, and particularly successful.

According to the FBI, illegal narcotics trade is the most profitable crime in the United States. The ongoing efforts of state troopers, combined with aviation and canine resources, continue to be a driving force in the overall reduction of this serious offense and are having a significant impact on related crimes across the state.