Colorado is experiencing record seizures of fentanyl, with cartels spreading into new regions and distributing larger volumes of the drug, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. DEA spokesman Dave Olesky stated that investigators are detecting more signs of cartel activity across Utah, Wyoming, and Montana, with drugs typically associated with cartels in eastern Washington being found in Montana. The increase in cartel activity is also leading to local street gangs from cities like Detroit and the East Coast to enter Montana to compete for territory due to the high price per pill. The Rocky Mountain Field Division broke its fentanyl seizure record last year, confiscating over 2.6 million pills in Colorado and is on track to surpass that number this year. The DEA is seeing exponential increases in the quantities of fentanyl seized in Denver.
Seven out of every 10 illicit pills now contain a deadly dose of fentanyl, making the drug easy to become addicted to due to its cheap production costs. The DEA is currently investigating criminal organizations in China that contribute to the fentanyl crisis by helping cartels produce the drug for cheap. Mexican drug trafficking organizations are producing fentanyl in super labs or garages, with quantities of 100,000 becoming the norm in the Denver metro area. Sheriff Jason Mikesell of Teller County believes the migrant crisis at the southern border has contributed to the fentanyl surge in Colorado, despite efforts by the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection to stop the drug from entering the country.
Jason Mikesell stated that Colorado is 10 hours away from El Paso, where many migrants are being housed, contributing to the rise of fentanyl in the state. Olesky believes that multiple factors have led to the surge, including a border piece, but also the need for outreach and education about the dangers of fentanyl. Fentanyl can be disguised well and even packaged in bright colors to attract children, making it important to talk about the dangers of the drug to prevent poisoning. Drug overdoses, largely driven by fentanyl, are the leading cause of death for adults ages 18 to 45, with the rate of drug overdose deaths nearly quadrupling from 8.2 per 100,000 people to 32.6 per 100,000 from 2000 to 2022, according to the CDC.
In conclusion, the surge in fentanyl seizures in Colorado is attributed to cartels spreading into new regions and distributing larger volumes of the drug. The DEA is seeing exponential increases in the quantities of fentanyl being seized in the Denver metro area, with seven out of every 10 illicit pills containing a deadly dose. Criminal organizations in China are contributing to the fentanyl crisis by helping cartels produce the drug for cheap. Efforts by the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection are being made to stop the drug from entering the country, but the surge in fentanyl in Colorado is linked to the migrant crisis at the southern border. Outreach and education are essential to prevent fentanyl poisoning, as drug overdoses, largely driven by fentanyl, are the leading cause of death for adults ages 18 to 45.
