A bag containing fentanyl. Synthetic opioids are contributing to poisoning-related deaths across the U.S.
A bag containing fentanyl. Synthetic opioids are contributing to poisoning-related deaths across the U.S.
Jeniffer Fontan/Getty
“Fentanyl is a major factor in the record number of overdoses occurring in our nation,” San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Patricia McGurk-Daniel said in the statement. “I applaud our agents’ vigilance and commitment to keeping our communities safe from this dangerous poison.”
Nearly half of the approximately 2,800 pounds of fentanyl seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Fiscal Year 2023 came from the San Diego Sector. This region covers about 60 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Border Patrol agents in San Diego have seized approximately 600 pounds of fentanyl in the 2024 fiscal year, according to CBP data.
Bryce Pardo, a UNODC research officer, told Newsweek the fentanyl crisis is a “significant public health issue.”
“The fentanyl crisis in the United States is extremely dangerous and has become a significant public health issue. Fentanyl overdose is the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45.
“Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are responsible for approximately 70% of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. The vast majority of these are due to illegally manufactured fentanyl and not diverted pharmaceutical products.”
Fentanyl-laced fake oxycodone pills collected during an investigation. A UNODC research officer told Newsweek the fentanyl crisis is a “significant public health issue.”
Fentanyl-laced fake oxycodone pills collected during an investigation. A UNODC research officer told Newsweek the fentanyl crisis is a “significant public health issue.”
U.S. Attorneys Office/N/A
In the first 10 months of the 2024 fiscal year, CBP officers confiscated 18,000 pounds of fentanyl nationwide, with the vast majority coming through the southern border.
An investigation by Newsweek uncovered that drug dealers are supplying customers with fentanyl across the U.S. by exploiting secret groups on the Telegram messaging app.
According to a study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), law enforcement seizures of fentanyl increased dramatically between 2017 and 2023. In 2023, 115,562,603 pills containing fentanyl were seized by authorities, compared to only 49,657 in 2017.
The proportion of fentanyl pill seizures compared to the total number of seizures more than quadrupled, with pills representing 49 percent of illicit fentanyl seizures in 2023 compared to 10 percent in 2017.
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Publish date : 2024-09-08 23:20:00
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