Three members of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s Omaha Division are riding their motorcycles 1400 miles in three days this week (Oct. 8-10, 2024) to raise awareness about the dangers of illegal drugs. DEA Special Agent in Charge Steve Bell says since 1985, DEA has recognized Red Ribbon Week (Oct. 23-31, 2024)— the nation’s oldest and largest drug awareness effort. https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2024/10/101024-bell1.mp3 Bell encourages folks to talk about drug misuse and experimentation, even if starting the conversation is awkward. https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2024/10/101024-bell2.mp3 So far this year in the Midwest, Bell says the two drugs they’ve seized the most are fentanyl and methamphetamine. https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2024/10/101024-bell3.mp3 The Red Ribbon Ride stopped at the state capitol town in each of the five states that make up the DEA’s Omaha Division. They started with a stops in Des Moines, Iowa, and St. Paul, Minnesota, on Tuesday; in Bismarck, North Dakota, and Pierre, South Dakota, on Wednesday and finishing in Lincoln, Nebraska, Thursday. So far this year, Bell says approximately 3.5 million lethal doses of fentanyl and nearly 3,000 pounds of methamphetamine have been removed from the five states covered by the DEA’s Omaha Division. He says while fentanyl pill seizures are trending downward, fentanyl powder seizures have jumped 21% and methamphetamine seizures have jumped approximately 50%. Three members of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s Omaha Division rode their motorcycles 1400 miles in three days (Oct. 8-10, 2024) to raise awareness about the dangers of illegal drugs.Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group. Three members of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s Omaha Division rode their motorcycles 1400 miles in three days (Oct. 8-10, 2024) to raise awareness about the dangers of illegal drugs.Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group. Three members of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s Omaha Division rode their motorcycles 1400 miles in three days (Oct. 8-10, 2024) to raise awareness about the dangers of illegal drugs.Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.