WASHINGTON, D.C. – Updated data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reveals that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have confiscated over 5,500 pounds of illicit fentanyl through the end of November in the first two months of Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. November alone accounted for over 3,000 pounds seized, accompanied by the confiscation of over 750 pill presses.
The DHS emphasizes the urgent need for Congress to approve the requested $1.3 billion in funding outlined in its October supplemental budget to sustain these crucial efforts. The ongoing battle against illicit fentanyl aligns with the Biden administration’s commitment to combating the rising threat of synthetic opioid-related deaths in the United States. The DHS strategy, evolving to target not only fentanyl but also the tools and materials used in its production, involves comprehensive operations, technological enhancements, and international collaborations to disrupt the transnational criminal organizations involved in the illicit fentanyl trade.
Progress this year builds on our efforts in FY 2023, when DHS stopped over 43,000 pounds of fentanyl from hitting our streets and seized more than 3,600 pill presses and $16 million in currency. These efforts by CBP and HSI also resulted in over 5,600 arrests in FY 2023. Since FY21, DHS HSI operations have seized more than 1,570,127 kilograms of fentanyl and methamphetamine precursor chemicals.
The November data follows President Biden’s meeting last month with the Secretary of Homeland Security and other senior administration officials to build on and accelerate U.S. efforts to stop the flow of illicit fentanyl into the United States. Fentanyl is one of the top threats facing our homeland: synthetic opioid-related deaths have steadily increased since 2013, and fentanyl overdoses have been the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45 since 2019.
This Administration is working intensively to meet this threat. A recent fact sheet issued by the White House describes whole-of-government efforts to decrease the supply of illicit fentanyl, including by strengthening our cooperation with other countries demonstrated by commitments made by the Presidents of China and Mexico.
Through a whole-of-DHS effort in alignment with President Biden’s National Drug Control Strategy, the Department has stopped more fentanyl and arrested more individuals for fentanyl-related crimes in the last two years than in the previous five years combined. More than 90% of fentanyl interdicted is stopped at Ports of Entry (POEs) where cartels attempted to smuggle it through, primarily in vehicles driven by U.S. citizens. Our strategy to disrupt the flow of illicit fentanyl and precursor chemicals coming into the United States includes improving our detection capabilities through personnel surges, advanced technology deployment, and increased information-sharing. We are making progress, but we need more resources from Congress to continue the fight.
*For more details on the DHS’s operations and strategies, refer to the full press release on their official website.