CBP Has Seized Enough Fentanyl to Kill 2 Million People in the Last Two Years, Top Official Says

Acting commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Troy Miller made a visit to San Diego on Thursday and provided an update on the U.S.-Mexico Border and emphasized ongoing efforts to combat drug smuggling.

Besides noting a 55% reduction in illegal immigration during fiscal year 2024, Miller provided a stunning stat: during the last two years, the agency has seized more than 50,000 pounds of fentanyl an amount capable of producing over two million lethal doses. According to CBP, over half of these seizures occurred in California's El Centro and San Diego sectors.

"All this matters because what happens at the border impacts communities across the nation, but the most important statistic is the opioids-related overdoses decreased last year," Miller told Newsweek.

Despite efforts, fentanyl smuggling remains a critical issue, as fentanyl, which is over 50 times stronger than heroin, continues to contribute to rising overdose deaths in the U.S., with an estimated 74,702 deaths attributed to the drug in 2023. The Drug Enforcement Administration states that most illicit fentanyl is manufactured in clandestine labs abroad and smuggled into the U.S. through Mexico.

Miller also addressed the broader connection between smuggling networks that facilitate both human migration and drug trafficking, stating that CBP's efforts are aimed at disrupting these networks to enhance national security. In addition to drug seizures, Miller highlighted the CBP's increased use of advanced analytics to prevent contraband from entering the country, especially at key entry points like San Ysidro, where 40% of illegal fentanyl crossings occur.

As for border crossings, Miller claimed that the nationwide trend of seeing fewer encounters came after the June 4 proclamation to secure U.S. borders made by President Joe Biden. Miller also added that, since then, the CBP reduced releases of migrants into U.S. communities by 80%, according to NBC San Diego.

In late September, the Biden administration announced it was further toughening asylum-seeking at the southern border as it continues to crack down on unlawful immigration ahead of the presidential elections.

The new rules increase the requisites needed to lift severe restrictions initially imposed in June when they could then be lifted when the average dropped to 1,500 per day for a week. Now, however, the average will have to extend for almost a month before restrictions can be lifted. The administration is also including children in the count, when before it only counted children from Mexico.