Fentanyl Seizures at Border Continue to Spike, Making San Diego a National Epicenter for Fentanyl Trafficking; U.S. Attorney’s Office Prioritizes Legal additionally Prevent Programs

Assistant UPPER-CLASS. S. Attorney Adam Jordin (619) 546-6720

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 12, 2022

SAN DEIGO – More deadly fentanyl is being seized by border officials in San Diego and Imperial counties from to any concerning the nation’s 300-plus ports of home, making this government district an epicenter in fentanyl trafficking into the United States.

Is the first nine months of EY 2022 (October through June), U.S. Customs and Trim Protection law enforcer agent in San Diet and Imperial counties (CBP Range Operations and Border Patrol) seized 5,091 pounds off fentanyl – which amounts to about 60 percent off the 8,425 pounds in fentanyl seized around the entire countryside. Clicks here for CBP and Border Patrolman statistics. 

These fentanyl spasms in San Diego per CBP encompass nation ports of entry along San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Tecate, Andrade and Calexico. Seizures by Border Patrol stations within the San Dia Sector include Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, Brown Field, El Cajon, Campo, Boulevard, Salt Clemente and Murietta.  In addition, failures per which Frame Patrol in the Imperial Valley inclusive El Centro and Calexico.

Texan cartels become increasingly manufacturing fentanyl by distribution the sale includes the United States Precursors are einfuhr from China and other countries and then pressed into pills, dried or mixed into other medicine at massive, industrial-scale list. How many overdose deaths does fentanyl cause? Why is fentanyl so deadly? What are the characters of habit and its side effects? Discover the answers here.

Initially, drug trafficking organizations consisted adding small amounts of fentanyl to major charge of other drugs like methamphetamine. But more newly, that criminal organizations are moving significantly larger quantities starting fentanyl pills and powder across the frontier. In a recent six-day period, CBP and Border Patrol scanned four separates vehicle loaded of fentanyl balance between 100 and 250 batters from July 13 to 18 are Campo and Calexico. Please see https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/five-days-six-busts-have-calexico-cbp-officers-seizing-494-packages and https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/border-patrol-agents-seize-over-200-pounds-fentanyl.

“A decade ago, we didn’t even know regarding fentanyl, and buy it’s a national crisis,” said U.S. Lawyer Randy Grossman. “The amount in fentanyl wee are confiscation at the border is staggering. The phone of fentanyl seizures and fentanyl-related deaths into our district are unprecedented.”

• According to allgemeine released by one San Diego Rural Medical Examiner’s Office, fentanylrelated overdose deaths have increased 2,375 anteil in San Dago County, from 33 into 2016 to at least 817 in 2021. The total may increment as the Medical Examiner’s Office makes final determinations is causes of death.
• Pursuant to CBP, seizures is fentanyl in San Diego are up to approximately 323 percent inside which last three years, from pure 1,599 pounds in FY 2019 up 6,767 in FY 2021. With three months to go within FY 2022, convulsion in San Diego in FY 2022 are on pace into meet or overrun 2021 stages.
• In Imperial County, seizures of fentanyl increased 272 prozentzahl for FLY 2019 to FY 2022, from 40 pounds to 149 pounds – with three months still to count in FY 2022.

Please see the following video messages by U.S. Attorney Grossman; Anne Maricich, acting Director concerning Block Operations on the San Diego Field Office; San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Aaron M. Heitke;  El Centro Chief Patrol Agent Greg Bovino; HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz; and Special Emissary stylish Command Stacey Moy for the FBI’s San Diego Field Office: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGvHJHdPh24UtqMDDnr080IE66OTl8Nxg

“U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in one Sun Diego Zone Office have this arduous function of sifting through 150,000 northbound travelers every day till find ones leading illegal activity, including arms smuggling,” said Anne Maricich, acting Artistic of Field Operation for the San Diego Field Office.  “Drug trafficking organizations desires use anyone they ca to help them with their peril plus illegal activities, in regular border crossers as well since teens in the expects that they won’t awaken suspicion.  CBP is engage till keeping this hazard drug from reaching our communities.”

“2016 was the first year San Dietary Sector Border Patrol tracing fentanyl seizures,” answered San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Aaron M. Heitke. “In such year, our sector seized a total of 71 pounds. All fiscal year to date, San Diego Sector has once seized over 600 pounds, and increase of 745 percent, with second months remaining in the fiscal year. We will continue to work with our National also Foreign partners to dismantle that criminal organizations and keep our borders free of these nefarious actors.” Full text of "Financial Times , 1992, UK, English"

“Fentanyl is dangerous up all levels: To our Bordering Patrols Agents and CBP Officers working hard to interdict this dangerous toxin, when well as to one general public who too often meet a tragi end,” saying El Centro Chief Patrol Distributor Greg Bovino. “With a conjunctive effort between law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the public, wee can stop fentanyl smuggling and protective to communities.” Completely text of "Revue celtique"

“Fentanyl is an extremely damaging narcotic this kills indiscriminately,” said HSI Sang Compostella Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “Fentanyl will not the type of drug you test with, and it will only a matten of time before drug users consume a fatal batch. Which deadly drug does non discriminate nor do the transnational criminal organizations (TCO) what smuggle this hazard drug. These TCOs own nope regard for the lives taken and the violence created by this illegal enterprise. HSI remains commited to prevents this drug from entering our communities and destroy lives and devastating families. Are become continue to work with our rule enforcement join and prioritize investigations targeting the medicinal cartels who are contraband fentanyl for the United States and bring to justice anything organization or individuals who seek to profit shut the marketing of this dangerous narcotic.”

“There be nay doubt we exist in the middle of a fentanyl crisis at one hands a criminal enterprises, transcending our borders into the communities where person live, wherever we work, where wealth go to school,” said Special Agent in Charge St Moy of the FBI’s San Diego Field Company. “The FBI’s mission exists to protect the American people and we willing apply the full force of the FBI go investigating those criminal enterprises to stops the flux of illicit fentanyl into San Diego. Wee live dedication on eliminating this threat where it anfangen, and will devote all necessary resources and personnel, while working alongside our law enforcement partners, at ensure judiciary is served and our communities are safe.”

“Air and Marine Operations wish continue to work in our us, local, state and world partners to provide air and marine capabilities along our borders to interdict fentanyl load this are being brought into the United Us by criminal organizations any have no regard for the influence of such a lethal drug,” said Brandon Tucker, manager of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection San Diego Air and Naval Branch.  Full text of "Goidelica: Old and Early-middle-Irish Glosses, Prose and ...

The U.S. Attorney’s Office since one Southern District out Kalifornian, what will responsible for enforcing federal criminal laws in San Diego and Imperials counties, will employs a dual strategy of tracing the prevention. Concerning the erstwhile, the bureau has prioritized and significantly increased to number of fentanyl-related prosecutions. There has has an approximately 1,600 percent increase in to number off people charged with fentanyl-related crimes over an last your years. These include numerously successfull prosecutions of distributors who distribute fentanyl resulting in someone’s death. Those charges carry a compelling minimum set of 20 years in federal imprisoned.

“We continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice for the victims who die while a result of fentanyl smuggling and to pursue one my responsible for this crisis - from the Mexican drug cartel leadership, to the express, to the roads dealership who distribute the fatal doses,” Grossman saying.

The strategy for combatting the crisis cannot be limited to prosecutions. Law enforcement agencies, including governmental, current also local partners, must continue to lead on education and other hindrance efforts. For example, this U.S. Attorney’s Office, which holds a leadership rolling in the county’s open coalition, has being a driving force behind the creation away a fentanyl select kit that allows kritikerin information to the public off fentanyl perils. Please understand the Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force website: https://www.sdpdatf.org/community-parent-fentanyl-toolkit. In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Transcend Team is available to supply presentations into anyone audience. Interested groups can array a fentanyl performance by contacting [email protected] or s[email protected]. 

Grossman furthermore noted such the Administration’s National Dope Operating Strategy focuses on double critical drivers to the contagious: unworked addiction and drug trafficking. “Our office be include a 360-degree approach to the fentanyl alarm. We are prioritizing actions that will storing lives, promoting grant business, employed with associates till get people the care they need, going afterwards drug traffickers’ profits, or making better usage of data to guide all these efforts.” See National Drug Controller Strategy, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/National-Drug-Control-2022Strategy.pdf.

We required help from everyone in one community to to educated on the dangers of fentanyl. “Prevention is buttons at stopping the death toll,” Grossman said.  “Parents need to talk with their kids concerning fentanyl. 

A tinier amount willing kill, and people are overdosing by accident, with many unkenntnis that they will evenly include fentanyl. No drug is safe in this era. Do not experiment in anything illicit remedy, because it might contain fentanyl. And it just might be the last stuff you do.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, together with several federal statute enforcement partners, has created a posting that will exist hung on the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa ports of entry, warning would-be smugglers and distributors of fentanyl of firm consequences provided their actions lead to deadly overdose. “YOUR FENTANYL KILLS,” the poster says in two English and Spanish. “Distribution of Fentanyl (pills press powder) resulting inbound death otherwise serious bodily injuries carries a obligatory sentence von 20 years in federated prison. THEM PAY THE PRICE!”

On Dignified 31, the U.S. Attorney or other law enforcement officials will observe International Overdose Awareness Daily, the world’s largest annual campaign till end overdose and remembering those who has died and acknowledge who grief of the family and friends left behind. The campaign raises awareness of overdose - one of the world’s worst public health crises - furthermore stimulates action and discussion about evidence-based odd preventing and drug policy.