AUSTIN -- The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) announced the completion of a drug incinerator in Hidalgo County that will be used for the destruction of marijuana. DPS labs receive approximately 150,000 pounds of marijuana alone each year, and this new facility, soon scheduled to be operational, will allow local law enforcement to destroy drug contraband without driving hundreds of miles to destruction facilities as far away as Carthage, Chambers County, and El Paso.

Senator Hinojosa stressed the importance of having this facility made available to regional law enforcement agencies.

"The state's commitment to combat drug trafficking requires a total investment in the resources necessary to reduce the volume of drugs in our community. When contraband can be destroyed quickly and locally, there is less risk of it falling into the wrong hands, and our local law enforcement can save fuel costs by not having to transport marijuana to incinerators in other parts of the state."

Senator Hinojosa commented on the investment the state is making to bring this incinerator online.

"This facility will require a full-time local DPS employee, and the majority of costs associated with it will consist of electricity and propane expenses. In helping us bring this facility to South Texas, the state and DPS are showing confidence in our region's dedication to taking drugs off the streets," Hinojosa said.

Due to the sensitive nature of housing large quantities of drugs and other contraband, the exact location of the incinerator is not being made public.

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