Customs and Border Patrol Area Port Director of the Port of Nogales, Arizona Michael Humphries reported millions of fentanyl pills have been seized in the past week. On Monday, he tweeted a staggering 1.57 million fentanyl pills were seized over the weekend after being stashed inside a tractor trailer and car.
Hidden compartments also revealed more than 100 pounds of cocaine and 13 pounds of heroin. Just days earlier, over 15,000 pills were confiscated at the same interception point.
“Second consecutive day colored fentanyl pills with the appearance of candy seized,” Humphries tweeted last Wednesday. “This could be the start of a trend with Transnational Criminal Organizations targeting younger users.”
Other seizures reported by last week include:
- Over 250,000 fentanyl pills (some of which were different colors, similar to the appearance of candy), 11 pounds of heroin and 10 pounds of meth
- Approximately 108,000 fentanyl pills, 26 pounds of cocaine and 27 pounds of meth
Fentanyl is a common narcotic smuggled across Arizona and other border states, primarily in the form of pills or powder. U.S. officials have reported a 200% increase in the amount of fentanyl recovered at the border compared to this time last year.
The opioid epidemic and fentanyl crisis continue to be the leading causes of death among Americans 18 to 45 years old. In Arizona, recent polls show border security is tied with inflation as the top issue driving voters in the midterms.
