Warren County Drug Task Force outlines seizures, declining overdose trend and funding squeeze
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Summary
Major R Smith told South Lebanon City Council the task force handled 201 cases and 168 arrests in 2025, reported high statewide seizure rankings for meth and fentanyl, and urged more stable local funding after describing volatile grant support.
Major R Smith, commander of the Warren County Drug Task Force, presented the unit's 2025 annual report to the South Lebanon City Council on Feb. 19, detailing enforcement activity, changing trafficking patterns and an ongoing funding shortfall.
Smith said the multi-jurisdictional task force — which operates across Warren County and with partners in Clinton County and federal and state agencies — focuses on mid- and upper-level trafficking and long-term investigations. "We had 201 cases, 168 arrests," he said, adding that uniform troopers assisted with 973 traffic stops, and the task force executed 108 search warrants and seized 188 firearms in 2025.
The commander identified methamphetamine and fentanyl as the county's primary drug threats and cited the task force's statewide seizure rankings: ninth in methamphetamine seizures, fourth in fentanyl seizures, second in prescription drug seizures and tenth in cocaine seizures. He also said fatal overdose deaths in Warren County have trended down from 75 in 2021 to 21 in 2025.
Smith described the unit's federal, state and local partnerships, including participation in the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDA) program and cooperation with the FBI, Ohio BCI and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. He emphasized the operational challenge presented by trafficking that moves rapidly along interstate corridors from larger source cities such as Dayton and Cincinnati.
On funding, Smith said the task force is "partially grant funded," which creates a "roller-coaster" budget environment. He explained a long-standing local contribution approach — historically framed as a suggested "$1 per person" based on population — and noted the task force had provided an invoice and spreadsheet to jurisdictions outlining contribution options.
Council members asked Smith what is driving increased local activity; he attributed it to abundant supply out of nearby source cities and persistent local addiction. "Greed and addiction drive drug traffic," Smith said. He thanked the council for local partnership and said the task force remains available to answer questions and provide additional data.
Next steps: Smith's presentation and the spreadsheet of invoice options remain in the record; council members did not take a funding vote at the meeting.