Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have let the border crumble. Now it’s gone beyond any precedent.
Because Border Patrol uncovered this terrifying reality at the southern border.
In a remarkable display of vigilance, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Lukeville, Arizona, have executed the largest fentanyl seizure in the agency’s history.
Officers uncovered approximately four million blue fentanyl pills, weighing over 1,000 pounds, as part of a relentless effort to stem the tide of illegal drugs flooding across the border.
This historic bust is part of a series of substantial fentanyl seizures in July, driven by two targeted operations focused on dismantling fentanyl smuggling networks and the cartels that ruthlessly push these deadly drugs into our communities.
On July 1, CBP officers at the Lukeville Port of Entry intercepted a 20-year-old U.S. citizen from Arizona attempting to cross from Mexico.
The individual was driving a 2011 pick-up truck towing a sport recreational vehicle on a utility trailer—an all too familiar sight given the area’s proximity to Mexican beach spots.
However, officers decided to conduct a thorough secondary inspection of the vehicle and trailer.
During this detailed search, they discovered anomalies within the trailer’s frame. A K-9 detection team then unearthed 234 packages hidden within, containing the staggering four million fentanyl pills.
Guadalupe Ramirez, Director of Field Operations for the Tucson Field Office, praised the Lukeville team, stating, “This is an enormous amount of dangerous drugs that officers at the Port of Lukeville prevented from reaching communities throughout the United States.”
Troy Miller, CBP Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner, highlighted the ongoing success of these operations, adding:
“Every day, CBP officers and agents are on our front line, using their keen instincts and the latest technology to prevent deadly drugs from entering our country and poisoning our communities.”
Just days later, on July 12, officers at the same port seized approximately 270 pounds of methamphetamine from a 45-year-old Mexican citizen driving a 2007 Ford F-150 pick-up truck, also towing a utility trailer.
This inspection, utilizing advanced x-ray technology and a K-9 team, led to the discovery of 39 packages of methamphetamine totaling nearly 272 pounds, plus an additional five pounds of cocaine.
The street value of these two monumental seizures exceeds $12.6 million, underscoring the economic impact of the drug trade on our society.
These seizures were part of Operation Apollo-Arizona and Operation Plaza Spike. Operation Apollo-Arizona is a counter-fentanyl initiative focused on intelligence collection and disrupting drug and chemical supplies.
Operation Plaza Spike targets the cartel territories directly south of the U.S., aiming to dismantle the infrastructure facilitating the flow of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.
The urgency of these operations is underscored by alarming statistics from the Drug Enforcement Administration, revealing that in 2022, 107,941 Americans died from drug poisonings, with fentanyl and synthetic opioids accounting for 70 percent of those deaths. Fentanyl remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45.
In its “One Pill Can Kill” campaign, the DEA warns that one in seven counterfeit pills marketed by Mexican drug cartels contains a lethal dose of fentanyl, further highlighting the devastating consequences of these illicit operations.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
