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(NewsDakota.com) Senator John Hoeven called on the Drug Enforcement Agency to better support local and state officials in fighting drug crimes and to provide additional DEA agents to help investigate drug cases in western North Dakota.

Hoeven said, “We have been in contact with the North Dakota Attorney General, as well as local law enforcement officials, to determine how to best help them to keep our communities safe. They indicated that we need more DEA agents,” Hoeven added “That’s why we’re requesting that DEA station additional agents in North Dakota to help us investigate drug crimes and prevent drugs from coming into the state.”

In a letter to DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart, Senator Hoeven pressed for additional support for local communities in light of new crime statistics showing an increase in drug related activities. The senator urged the agency to dedicate sufficient resources to fight North Dakota’s drug crimes.

North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said drug crimes have increased by nearly 20 percent in western North Dakota over the last two years.

During a news conference on July 15, Stenehjem said the number of human trafficking and prostitution arrests has increased as well and he will urge the North Dakota Legislature to increase funding to beef up law enforcement staffs in western North Dakota.