Recently, the office of California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the California National Guard has deployed additional forces to the southern border, including San Diego County, to assist border personnel. In the past month of June, they intercepted over one million fentanyl pills and more than 400 pounds of fentanyl powder.
According to a statement from the governor’s office on July 24th, the California National Guard’s anti-drug task force helped seize nearly 1.07 million fentanyl pills and 423 pounds of fentanyl powder in June.
Newsom had previously announced the increase of National Guard reinforcements from 155 to 392 personnel. The National Guard presence at the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa border crossings in southern San Diego has increased from 40 to 60 personnel.
Since the beginning of this year, the National Guard has assisted border patrol teams in intercepting over eight million fentanyl pills and more than 4,000 pounds of fentanyl powder, as stated by the governor’s office.
In a statement, Newsom emphasized, “California is actively sweeping illegal fentanyl off our streets, intercepting drugs at the border, and holding drug traffickers accountable.”
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reported that drug traffickers often mix fentanyl into commonly used painkillers, disguising them as legitimate medication. In these altered painkillers, 70% contain a lethal dose of fentanyl. The DEA warns that just 2 milligrams of fentanyl (about the size of a pen tip) can be deadly.