The newest division of the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center (ONIC) has opened in Toledo.
The new office is staffed with criminal intelligence analysts and computer forensic specialists who help local law enforcement agencies trace drug trafficking organizations back to their ringleaders and suppliers through intelligencedriven investigations.
“Digital evidence plays a large role in drug trafficking today, and our ONIC teams provide expert criminal intelligence support through things like cell phone analysis, cryptocurrency tracing and dark web investigations,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “By expanding into northwest Ohio, it will be more convenient for local law enforcement agencies to take advantage of this free support that has already proven incredibly useful in breaking up drug trafficking organizations.”
Gov. DeWine first launched ONIC in 2019 with offices in Columbus and Cleveland. Due to statewide demand for its services, the governor, in conjunction with the Ohio General Assembly, worked to secure additional funding to create offices in northwest and southwest Ohio. ONIC-Cincinnati will launch later this month.
Since the ONIC’s inception, intelligence analysts and forensic specialists have assisted in nearly 2,000 criminal investigations involving the extraction and analysis of more than 4,300 cell phones, over 5 million images and videos and more than 5 million text messages.
The ONIC is a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
