Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous and often deadly opioid that is infiltrating the nation.
The illegal narcotic is causing Americans to become addicted to the drug and many are overdosing and dying.
And shocking new stats about the seizure of fentanyl in California are causing concerns nationwide.
California seizes 62,000 pounds of fentanyl
A new announcement from California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office has revealed that roughly 62,000 pounds of fentanyl smuggled into the state was confiscated by authorities in 2023.
In total, the amount of the potent drug that was seized last year “is enough to potentially kill the global population nearly twice over,” said Newsom’s office.
The California National Guard and other law enforcement agencies worked together in counter-drug operations across the state in 2023 and seized a record amount of the infamous drug.
Most of the drugs were confiscated at ports of entry, but it’s not clear what methods were used to try and smuggle the fentanyl into California or what form the drug was in.
The amount of fentanyl seized by authorities has skyrocketed when compared to just a few years ago.
California authorities seized over 5,300 pounds of the drug in 2021 and 28,000 pounds in 2022, based on a US Department of Justice evaluation in the Los Angeles region.
According to authorities, the massive amount of fentanyl seized in 2023 would have a street value of nearly $670 million.
Newsom says that the drug is a poison that has no business being in California neighborhoods.
He said, “California is cracking down – increasing seizures, expanding access to substance abuse treatment, and holding drug traffickers accountable to combat the immeasurable harm opioids have caused our communities.”
Over the last year, the California National Guard has expanded its role in the state’s counter-drug task force and the number of service members deployed along the border and in cities like San Francisco to support the California Highway Patrol has grown.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), just two milligrams of fentanyl is enough to be considered a lethal dose.
Over 110,000 people died across the US by drug poisonings in 2022, and approximately 70% of those were linked to fentanyl use.
The epidemic is “unprecedented”
The DEA is sounding the alarm about the spread of fentanyl throughout the country, saying, “The United States is in the midst of an unprecedented drug poisoning epidemic.”
Federal authorities seized almost 80 million fentanyl-laced pills and almost 12,000 pounds of fentanyl powder last year, according to the DEA.
And now, drug sellers are making pills that look like real prescription medications using pill press machines they buy online.
According to federal agents, 7 out of every 10 fake pills seized from illegal sellers last year tested positive for fentanyl.
Fentanyl overtook methamphetamine as the most common drug that was related to overdose deaths in 2022 in Los Angeles County.
Stay tuned to Blue State Blues for any updates to this ongoing story.
