Colorado is facing a crisis as record seizures of fentanyl are on the rise, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. The DEA attributes this surge to cartels expanding into new regions and distributing larger quantities of the deadly drug.
DEA spokesman Dave Olesky, who also serves as the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Rocky Mountain Field Division, stated that investigators are conducting drug busts across Utah, Wyoming, and Montana, uncovering signs of cartel activity. Olesky noted that drugs typically associated with cartels in eastern Washington are now making their way into Montana.
Last year, the Rocky Mountain Field Division broke its fentanyl seizure record by confiscating over 2.6 million pills in Colorado. This year, they are on track to surpass that number.
The DEA reported that seven out of every 10 illicit pills now contain a lethal dose of fentanyl, making the drug both cheap to produce and highly addictive. Olesky emphasized that those selling the pills prioritize profit over safety, with criminal organizations in China playing a role in producing the drug for cartels.
Sheriff Jason Mikesell of Teller County, Colorado, believes that the migrant crisis at the southern border has contributed to the fentanyl surge in the state. Despite efforts by the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection to prevent the drug from entering the country, fentanyl continues to flow into Colorado.
With drug overdose deaths, driven largely by fentanyl, being the leading cause of death for adults ages 18 to 45, the CDC reports a significant increase in fatalities from 8.2 per 100,000 people in 2000 to 32.6 per 100,000 in 2022.
As the fentanyl crisis escalates, the DEA emphasizes the importance of education and awareness to prevent further tragedies. With pills often disguised in bright colors to attract children, discussing the dangers of fentanyl is crucial in combating the epidemic.
Kennedy Hayes, a multimedia reporter based in Denver, joined Fox News in 2023 and reported on this alarming trend.
