California seized enough fentanyl last year to kill everyone in the world 'nearly twice over'
Seizures of fentanyl smuggled into California have dramatically surged over the last few years, according to officials.
news.yahoo.com
In 2023, the California National Guard supported other law enforcement agencies in counter-drug operations across the state, seizing a record 62,000 pounds of fentanyl at ports of entry, according to a news release from Newsom's office. It's unclear what means were used to smuggle the opioid and what form the fentanyl was in when shipped.
Compared with just a few years ago, the amount of fentanyl seized by authorities has dramatically surged. In 2021, California authorities seized more than 5,300 pounds of the drug, with a street value of $64 million. In 2022 that rose to 28,000 pounds, with a street value of $230 million, based on the U.S. Department of Justice evaluation of illegal-drug values in the Los Angeles region.