Florida has been recognized as the leading state in fentanyl seizures, according to recent statistics that highlight a significant increase in the number of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl confiscated by law enforcement across the country. The report reveals that more than 115 million pills containing Mexican fentanyl were seized in 2023, a stark contrast to the 4 million fake pills seized during President Trump's final year in office in 2020 when border security was tighter.
The report coincides with newly released immigration figures showing an unprecedented number of illegal crossings at the border during the Biden administration, surpassing the total from the previous decade combined.
Attorney General Ashley Moody praised Florida's efforts and criticized President Biden's immigration policies, stating, “This damning report shows the deadly impact of Biden’s wide-open border—record-smashing amounts of fentanyl flooding in and an extremely-high death toll to accompany the massive influx of this Mexican poison. In Florida, we are fighting back the death and destruction emanating from Biden’s border crisis—leading the nation in fentanyl seizures and taking Biden to court in an effort to force him to do his job: close the border and protect the American people.”
In 2023 alone, seizures by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) accounted for over 381 million lethal doses of fentanyl, exceeding half of which were in pill form. This quantity surpasses the entire population of the United States. A recent DEA study revealed that seven out of every ten pills seized contained a lethal dose of fentanyl.
Florida leads national efforts against drug trafficking with increased interdiction operations aimed at combating Mexican cartels smuggling illicit substances into the state. From 2017 to 2023, Florida law enforcement participated in 2,089 fentanyl seizure operations. Arizona follows closely behind with 1,783 seizures.
In October 2022, Attorney General Moody announced that Florida law enforcement had already confiscated enough fentanyl that year to kill the entire population of the state.
To combat opioid misuse, Attorney General Moody continues to warn Floridians about the dangers of fentanyl and has created multiple resources to raise awareness. These include the One Pill Can Kill webpage on DoseOfRealityFL.com, which provides life-saving information and resources to help combat opioid abuse. The website also includes a Fast Facts on Fentanyl toolkit in both English and Spanish.
In addition, Attorney General Moody launched the Helping Heroes program last year, providing free naloxone - an FDA-approved medication designed to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose - to emergency response agencies.
Those struggling with substance-abuse issues are encouraged to visit DoseOfRealityFL.com for more information and resources. TreatmentAtlas.org also offers resources for those seeking treatment for addiction.