In the 2023 fiscal year, Border Patrol agents made significant drug seizures, including a staggering quantity of fentanyl, capable of proving fatal to every US citizen, based on recent data from the southern border.
On the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, Border Patrol chief Jason Owens shared that over 40,000 pounds of marijuana, 13,000 pounds of meth, 11,000 pounds of cocaine, and 2,700 pounds of fentanyl were seized. Notably, these figures only account for drugs detected outside official port entries.
Given that a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl is roughly equivalent to the size of a pencil tip, its potency becomes evident. When mixed with other substances, users might unintentionally consume it. The Drug Enforcement Administration indicates that a mere two milligrams of fentanyl can be deadly. By that standard, the 2,700 pounds seized can endanger the US population almost twice.
Such statistics from the Border Patrol only emphasize the ongoing challenges posed by drug smuggling, illegal immigration, and other illicit activities at the southern border.
Recent photographs depict a Border Patrol officer reportedly assaulted by an undocumented immigrant.
In another startling revelation, Border Patrol sources relayed to Fox News that a record-breaking 11,000 unauthorized border crossings occurred within a single day, marking an unprecedented surge.
While some Democrats attribute the border situation to Republican policies, a report from the Washington Free Beacon suggests the Biden administration anticipated the influx of migrants but did not adequately address it.
Recent overdose incidents in Los Angeles have raised alarm for local officials. On Wednesday, California authorities confiscated 52lb (24kg) of fentanyl powder in a state-wide operation spearheaded by the Justice Department. According to the California attorney general, this quantity could produce up to a quarter of a million pills.
However, this issue isn’t confined to California. A week ago in New York, law enforcement discovered 15,000 multi-colored pills concealed within a Lego toy container.
Comparatively, the US experiences a disproportionately high number of overdose deaths, with rates soaring to 20 times the global average. Notably, Scotland’s figures are also concerningly elevated.
Joseph Friedman, a scholar specializing in substance use at the University of California Los Angeles, remarked, “Regrettably, the US leads globally in overdose fatalities.” He further highlighted that overdose among school-aged children in the US saw a two-fold increase from 2019 to 2020, followed by another 20 percent spike in the subsequent year.
