20 million fentanyl pills seized in Mexico’s largest drug bust

Dec 05, 2024

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Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)

Mexican authorities seized over a ton of fentanyl in Sinaloa, marking the largest bust of the synthetic opioid in the country’s history. Officials said the haul, equivalent to more than 20 million doses, has an estimated street value of nearly $400 million.

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The operation occurred Tuesday, Dec. 3, when military personnel spotted two armed men in Sinaloa, a region known for cartel activity. The suspects fled into two houses, where authorities discovered over 660 pounds of fentanyl in one house and a truck carrying an additional 1,750 pounds. Agents also seized several firearms and arrested two suspects at the scene.

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the bust was part of an ongoing investigation. However, analysts suggested the timing may be linked to recent pressure from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has demanded stronger action on drug trafficking and immigration.

Trump recently threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods unless both nations address the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.

The synthetic opioid is a major contributor to the U.S. overdose crisis, causing approximately 70,000 deaths annually.

Fentanyl seizures in Mexico sharply declined earlier this year, with federal forces confiscating only 286 pounds nationwide between January and June — a 94% drop from 2023.

The record seizure in Sinaloa signals a potential shift in enforcement priorities as U.S.-Mexico relations face heightened scrutiny over the fentanyl crisis.

Meanwhile, U.S. authorities have intensified their own efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking. Earlier this year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 4 million fentanyl pills in Arizona, marking the largest seizure in the agency’s history.

Tags: Claudia Sheinbaum, Donald Trump, Drug cartels, Drug smuggling, Fentanyl, Mexico, U.S.-Mexico Border

[craig nigrelli]

MEXICO JUST MADE ITS LARGEST EVER FENTANYL BUST. OVER A TON OF THE SYNTHETIC OPIOID—ENOUGH FOR MORE THAN 20 MILLION DOSES AND WORTH NEARLY $400 MILLION—WAS SEIZED IN SINALOA, A REGION LONG LINKED TO CARTEL OPERATIONS. THE BUST FOLLOWS DEMANDS FROM THE U-S — MOST NOTABLY FROM PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP — FOR TOUGHER ACTION ON DRUG TRAFFICKING.

THE OPERATION TOOK PLACE TUESDAY NIGHT WHEN SOLDIERS AND MARINES SPOTTED TWO ARMED MEN IN SINALOA WHO FLED INTO A PAIR OF HOUSES, WHERE AUTHORITIES DISCOVERED THE DRUGS AND MULTIPLE WEAPONS. THE TWO SUSPECTS WERE ARRESTED AT THE SCENE.

MEXICAN PRESIDENT CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM SAID THE BUST WAS PART OF AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION.

BUT OPERATION CAME JUST DAYS AFTER TRUMP THREATENED TO IMPOSE 25% TARIFFS ON MEXICAN AND CANADIAN GOODS UNLESS THE COUNTRIES TAKE STRONGER ACTION AGAINST DRUG TRAFFICKING AND MIGRATION. TRUMP HAS URGED MEXICO AND CANADA TO ADDRESS THE FLOW OF FENTANYL INTO THE U.S., WHERE THE DRUG IS BLAMED FOR APPROXIMATELY 70,000 OVERDOSE DEATHS ANNUALLY.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, FENTANYL SEIZURES IN MEXICO PLUMMETED, WITH ONLY 286 POUNDS CONFISCATED NATIONWIDE BETWEEN JANUARY AND JUNE. THE LATEST SEIZURE SUGGESTS A RENEWED EFFORT AS THE U.S. CONTINUES TO SCRUTINIZE MEXICO’S ROLE IN THE FENTANYL CRISIS.

THE RECORD BUST COMES AMID INCREASED DRUG ENFORCEMENT AT THE U.S. BORDER. EARLIER THIS YEAR, U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION SEIZED 4 MILLION FENTANYL PILLS IN ARIZONA, THE LARGEST HAUL IN ITS HISTORY.

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