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WEBVTT OVERMONEY TAKEN FROM CRIMINALS ANDDRUG DEALERS TO THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT.>> WE ARE SEEING MORE DRUGS.JESSICA: REPRESENTATIVE BOBBYCLEVELAND THINKS THE SOURCE OFTHE PROBLEM IS ALONG THE BORDER.HE WANTS TO AMEND A BILL TO DEALWITH THE PROBLEM.>> I SPOKE WITH THECONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO SEEHOW WE CAN DO THIS.JESSICA: HE IS ESTIMATINGANYWHERE FROM $10 MILLION UP TO$15 MILLION HAS BEEN TAKEN.AGENCIES LIKE CANADIAN COUNTYUSE THE MONEY TAKEN FROMCRIMINALS AND IT IS NOT JUSTABOUT DRUGS.>> IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT DRUGACTIVITY BUT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.THEY ARE GENERATING DOLLARS OUTOF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.PATTY: THE SHERIFF SAYS THE PLANWILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT AGENCIESTHAT DEPEND ON THAT FUNDING.>> I DO NOT KNOW IF THAT IS THESOLUTION.>> IT WOULD HELP OUR ECONOMY.

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State Rep. Bobby Cleveland is exploring a plan that could potentially send millions of dollars that have been taken from criminals in the state to the federal government. Cleveland estimates the amount would be anywhere between $10 million and $15 million a year, which could be used to help pay for the U.S. - Mexico border wall. “Get with our congressional delegation to see how we can do this, to send that money to help build a wall,” Cleveland said. “That’s the only thing we can do to stop these drugs from coming in.” Canadian County Sheriff Chris West, whose agency benefits from civil asset forfeiture funds, said many agencies across the state use the money to pay for fleet, training, and even staffing, or use it to get other things their budget can’t pay for. “This isn’t money that we can budget or forecast what we’re going to do,” West said. “It’s money that comes in. It’s a luxury money that comes in that helps us supplement our efforts.” West said it’s premature to plan to give the money away to the federal government when it doesn’t even have a plan on how the wall will be funded. Cleveland said helping to build the wall would benefit the state’s financial crisis. “It would help our economy. It would be good to help our prisons. They wouldn’t be so full, the hospitals wouldn’t be so full. The schools wouldn’t be so full,” Cleveland said. “We’ve got to do something to help stop these drugs. It’s costing us millions and millions, probably billions of dollars.” West said the money taken isn’t all linked to drug activity.