The highly lethal synthetic drug fentanyl has seen an increase in trafficking into the U.S., and, in the fiscal year 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported a 134% increase in seizures of the illicit drug.
Fentanyl is 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine, with a lethal dose being about 2 milligrams, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which has warned about the rise of fentanyl-laced pills that cartels in Mexico are manufacturing with chemicals provided by China.
The drug is feeling an overdose epidemic in the U.S. and is now the leading killer of 18-45-year-olds nationwide.
CBP confiscated 11,201 pounds of fentanyl between Oct. 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2021. In the previous fiscal year, CBP seized 4,791 pounds of the drug.
CBP spokesperson Justin Long said that the seizures occurred at ports of entry, which have seen a 400% increase in fentanyl seizures since 2018. Long said that with the pandemic border restrictions, CBP officers are focused on commercial and passenger environments and that the seizures illustrate CBP’s success in intercepting illegal activity.
“Criminal organizations continue to evolve their smuggling operations, and these seizures are indicative of CBP’s efforts to disrupt cross-border criminal activity,” Long said, adding that CBP utilizes many resources and technological tools at its disposal.
“CBP continues to modernize its facilities to strengthen its border security mission with these and other security measures that aid the detection and seizure of illicit drugs,” he said.
Former DEA Special Agent in Charge for El Paso Kyle Williamson said that during the time he was working in the agency there had been tremendous increases in fentanyl seizures and that he predicts the trend to continue unless there is a cooperation between Mexico and the U.S.
“When I was Special Agent in Charge in El Paso, we saw fentanyl seizures double year over year in excess of 100%,” Williamson said. “This also coincided with increase seizures of methamphetamine. This deadly trend became very evident in 2021 when we went from one out of every four pills laced with fentanyl having a deadly dose (2mg) to two out of every five.”
“Based on current numbers I believe this deadly trend will continue in 2022,” he added. “It is imperative that the government of Mexico works with the United States to stop this deadly trend.”
