The Grind:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection fentanyl seizures at the U.S.-Mexico border have set a record in FY2022, according the latest statistics released by the agency.
While CBP’s latest monthly operational update for the border reported that fentanyl seizures dropped 19% from August to September, the total amount of fentanyl intercepted by federal authorities in FY2022 surpassed the amounts in FY2019, FY2020 and FY2021.
The Details:
According to CBP’s statistics on the total pounds of drug seizures by the thousands, 14.1k of fentanyl was seized in FY2022 at the southwest border alone. Examining overall CBP statistics, including coastal/interior, the northern border and southwest border, that number jumps to 14.7k, compared to 11.2k in FY2021, 4.8k in FY2020 and 2.8k in FY2019.
Federal law enforcement has recently made large seizures of fentanyl in the U.S. as part of enforcement operations.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced on Oct. 20 that a “Mexican national man was sentenced Oct. 14 in federal court to 108 months in prison in connection with the record-breaking seizure of 17,584 pounds of methamphetamine and 388.93 pounds of fentanyl from a commercial trailer attempting to enter the United States at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.” ICE reported that “Carlos Martin Quintana-Arias, of Mexico, admitted to driving the drug-laden tractor trailer into the United States through the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.” Read more…