Stats Show Fentanyl Replacing Heroin as Cartel Cash Cow
May 06, 2024
Michael McManus
Fentanyl is rapidly replacing heroin as the drug cartels are using to make money. Statistics on drug seizures from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) show that there has been a clear shift in the cartels’ smuggling habits, and the data strongly indicate that the border chaos of recent years is facilitating this lethal trade. Comparing statistics across the last three full fiscal years (FY) is as it informative as it is alarming.
Heroin seizures were high throughout FY 2021, closing the year on 5,400 lbs. seized. But by FY 2023 seizures had fallen to just 1,500 lbs. That is a 72 percent drop in just two fiscal years. By contrast, fentanyl seizures in FY 2021 were 11,200 lbs. and over 27,000 lbs. in FY 2023. This is an enormous 141 percent increase. The statistics show that the cartels are clearly changing their business model. Cartels see more money and growth opportunity in fentanyl, and are moving away from heroin and towards fentanyl.
Fentanyl is attractive to the cartels because of its massive money making potential. In terms of the profit margin, for just $50,000 in production costs, $20 million worth of fentanyl can be sold. This is a return of $400 for every $1 spent. For cartels, like any business, the profit margin of that magnitude is too high to ignore. Another feature that attracts the cartels is the sheer addictiveness. Fentanyl snares people into addiction more quickly and totally than even heroin, given that fentanyl is 100 times more potent than heroin. The more powerful the drug, the more powerful the addiction and with that, the more business for smugglers and dealers.
https://www.fairus.org/blog/2024/05/06/stats-show-fentanyl-replacing-heroin-cartel-cash-cow
