Customs officers at a Nogales port of entry seized nearly half-a-million fentanyl pills hidden in a gas tank, side panels and dash of an SUV on Nov. 3, 2023.Courtesy of Customs and Border Protection
New data shows that border officials at ports of entry in Arizona seized nearly 12,000 pounds of fentanyl in fiscal year 2024, more than twice the next area, which was California’s ports of entry.
The amount of fentanyl being smuggled into the country, typically by U.S. citizens hired by international criminal organizations, has grown as the U.S. addiction to the dangerous drug has grown.
Federal officials have also been expanding the use of inspection equipment at ports, including in Nogales, which is likely playing a role in the increase of drugs seized.
While the amount of fentanyl seized has grown, the amount of marijuana seized has dwindled to a few hundred pounds from tens of thousands just five years ago.
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