The California National Guard’s anti-drug task force helped seize a total of 1,541 pounds of illegal fentanyl last month, including over 1.7 million fentanyl pills, with an estimated street value of $11.9 million along the southern border.
The members of the task force are deployed across government agencies to combat transnational criminal organizations trafficking fentanyl and other illegal drugs.
Governor Gavin Newsom stated, “California remains committed to preventing fentanyl from entering our communities, and the fentanyl seizures assisted by law enforcement agencies last month more than doubled compared to the previous month.”
Newsom emphasized the crucial role that National Guard members play in California’s anti-drug trafficking efforts.
In June, Newsom increased the number of Guard members dedicated to intercepting fentanyl and other drugs at California entry points from 155 to nearly 400. That same month, Guard members assisted in seizing over a million fentanyl pills and 423 pounds of fentanyl powder.
In a video on the Mexico border, Newsom mentioned that over 390 Guard members are actively engaged in drug interception and reconnaissance work along the border and throughout the state.
He wrote, “This work will help combat transnational organizations and their attempts to smuggle illegal drugs into our state, hold smugglers accountable, and rid our streets of deadly drugs.”
The task force uses aerial and ground resources to intercept drug trafficking and conduct criminal investigations.
Following initial success in 2022, Newsom increased the number of Guard members at border entry points from 40 to 60. According to the governor’s statement, California has invested $60 million over four years to expand the National Guard’s work in the state.
The strategy of deploying Guard members along the border mirrors the governor’s call-up of California Highway Patrol to help combat drug trafficking in the Bay Area. From May of last year to May of this year, nearly 700 pounds of fentanyl were seized in San Francisco’s joint drug enforcement operation.
National Guard members are also present in California communities as part of their “War on Fentanyl” initiative, helping educate young people about the dangers of drugs.
Members of the National Guard and their drug demand reduction outreach teams met with students at a Fontana high school in San Bernardino County on September 11th to discuss the dangers of fentanyl and its impact on young lives, following the death of a 12-year-old student due to fentanyl overdose.
According to data from the California Department of Public Health, in 2023, 7,560 people in California died from opioid overdoses, with a death rate of 19.39 per 100,000 residents, representing a 5% increase from 2022.