WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department said Wednesday it was launching a Drug Enforcement Administration field office in the Appalachian region at the center of the opioid crisis and would issue $12 million in grant funding to help assist law enforcement.
The announcement, made jointly by Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Acting DEA Administrator Robert Patterson, marked the Justice Department's latest move to get a handle on the growing opioid epidemic.
In addition to the grants and creation of a Louisville, Kentucky-based DEA office, Sessions also directed U.S. Attorney's offices to designate a coordinator to facilitate opioid-related cases.
(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Andrew Hay)
