Fentanyl Frenzy: Record Seizures and Rising Death Toll Highlight a Crisis at the Border
August 22, 2024
On July 1, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized approximately 4 million blue fentanyl pills—collectively weighing over 1,000 pounds—in the largest fentanyl seizure in the agency’s history. The operation took place at the Port of Lukeville in Arizona and marks the latest in a series of significant fentanyl seizures under the current administration. While these potent and deadly drugs were successfully intercepted, it raises a sobering question: How many have slipped past CBP and into American communities, causing untold death and devastation?
According to a CBP news release, this record-breaking seizure occurred when a pick-up truck, hauling a trailer with an SUV on top, drove to the port of entry (POE). CBP officers noticed irregularities in the trailer’s frame, prompting a more intensive investigation. Less than two weeks later, on July 12, officers at the same POE discovered 39 packages in another trailer, leading to the seizure of approximately 270 pounds of methamphetamine and five pounds of cocaine. The combined street value of these drug seizures is estimated to be over $12.6 million.
State-led initiatives like Operation Plaza Strike, targeting cartel flows, and Operation Apollo-Arizona, an intelligence-driven counter-fentanyl strategy, have helped to mitigate the impact of narcotics within the States. However, these efforts fall short of curtailing the influence of Chinese-backed cartels.
https://www.fairus.org/blog/2024/08/22/fentanyl-frenzy-record-seizures-and-rising-death-toll-highlight-crisis-border
