The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control (OBN) has earned high honors, with its K9 Interdiction Unit being named "Team of the Year" by the National Criminal Enforcement Association (NCEA), as reported by the Oklahoma House of Representatives. This prestigious accolade was bestowed upon the team at the NCEA's national interdiction conference held in South Carolina.
Alongside the team's recognition, OBN agents Dallas Lang, Justin Taylor, and Darin Morgan were distinguished as the first recipients of the Royal Knights award by the Desert Snow Training Program, which celebrates exemplary criminal interdiction efforts, Oklahoma's Rep. Tim Turner, with his extensive background in law enforcement, praised the dedication of these agents, "I want to personally congratulate the OBN Interdiction Team and these agents on these well-deserved awards," and Turner highlighted the significance of the team's efforts in securing Oklahoma roads, according to the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
Rep. Turner, who serves as vice chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Public Safety Committee, shed light on the OBN's notable achievements over the past year, including the seizure of significant quantities of illegal substances, which totaled thousands of pounds: 6,839 pounds of marijuana were confiscated, along with two pounds of heroin, 89 pounds of cocaine, 365 pounds of meth, and 140 pounds of fentanyl, as well as their role in making dozens of arrests, including apprehending two individuals from the International Terrorism Federal Watch List and rescuing two endangered children from Kansas.
The NCEA conference also brought to attention the esteemed status the Royal Knights award grants to road officers, a distinction that is presented to those who have not only met specific procedural requirements but have also been vetted by the Royal Knight Committee, as these individuals demonstrate sustained effort and professionalism in safeguarding the public from some of the nation's most nefarious criminals, according to the announcement made. In a significant nod to the state's achievements in law enforcement, it has also been announced that OBN and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol will co-host the esteemed 2026 NCEA Conference in Oklahoma City.
