California Attorney General Rob Bonta has provided an update on the state's efforts to combat the fentanyl epidemic at the Mexico-California border. The Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team (FAST) has been instrumental in these efforts, seizing over 135 kilograms of fentanyl and making numerous arrests in 2024 alone.
"California is fully committed to tackling the fentanyl crisis and ensuring the safety of our communities," said Attorney General Rob Bonta. He emphasized the dangers of fentanyl, noting its potential to be hidden in everyday drugs and its lethal nature even in small amounts. Bonta expressed confidence in FAST's ability to disrupt fentanyl trafficking into California.
Shawn Gibson, Special Agent In Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego, attributed the operation's success to collaboration among law enforcement partners. "We’ve witnessed fentanyl claim lives not just through overdose but through the slow erosion of hope, health, and humanity," he stated.
U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath highlighted a decline in fentanyl-related deaths in San Diego for 2023 due to targeted enforcement actions by FAST. She noted that this trend is expected to continue into 2024.
FAST focuses on stopping fentanyl influx from the California-Mexico border by targeting offenders with criminal backgrounds and prosecuting those involved in trafficking near vulnerable locations such as schools or military facilities. The team also investigates overdose fatalities within San Diego County.
Attorney General Bonta is employing a comprehensive approach involving enforcement, litigation, and public policy strategies. Since April 2022, California DOJ has seized millions of fentanyl pills and pounds of powder while making hundreds of arrests related to fentanyl distribution.
For more information about Attorney General Bonta’s strategies against the fentanyl crisis, visit oag.ca.gov/fentanyl.