Seizures at the California-Mexico border accounted for nearly half of all illegal drugs encountered by U.S. border authorities along the Southwest border in the last fiscal year, according to U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement data released this week.
In all, CBP seized more than 275,000 pounds of illegal drugs along the Southwest border in fiscal 2024, which ended Sept. 30.
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California continued to lead in methamphetamine seizures, with more than 101,000 pounds of the drug detected. However, key fentanyl smuggling routes, which were initially established in San Diego as the synthetic opioid gained its foothold in the U.S. drug market, have appeared to shift east to Arizona. Authorities have for the second fiscal year in a row seized the bulk of the drug there — more than 13,000 pounds in the past year, nearly double compared to California.
Combatting fentanyl, which can be deadly in small doses and is largely smuggled north through Mexico, has been a top priority among U.S. authorities. One multi-jurisdictional effort, dubbed Operation Apollo, has netted more than 50,000 pounds of fentanyl at ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border over the past two fiscal years, according to Troy Miller, a CBP senior official performing the duties of the commissioner.
“That’s more than enough to produce more than 2 billion lethal doses of fentanyl,” Miller said during a visit to the San Ysidro Port of Entry last week.
The effort focuses on intelligence and partnerships, including with the Mexican government. Besides the 19,300 pounds of fentanyl seized along the Southwest border last fiscal year, the operation also netted meth, cocaine, weapons and parts, and $7.5 million in illicit funds, Miller said.
The operation’s efforts targeting ports of entry underscore traffickers’ continued preference to smuggle drugs in personal vehicles and commercial trucks. Along the California border last fiscal year, 90% of all drug seizures happened at ports of entry, such as San Ysidro, Otay Mesa and Calexico.
Staff writer Alexandra Mendoza contributed to this report.