1.1 Million Fentanyl Pills Seized Over 7 Days In SoCal, Newsom Says

SACRAMENTO, CA — In an election year in which crime is a big concern among many California voters, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that the state helped seize 1,120,030 fentanyl pills and 523 pounds of methamphetamine last week in San Diego County and nearby ports at the U.S. border with Mexico.

The California National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force, in support of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, was involved in the investigations, according to the governor's office, which did not release information about arrests.

As the GOP looks to flip Democratic-held seats in California using campaigns that stoke fears about crime, Newsom is keen to help his party maintain its overwhelming majority with tough-on-crime success stories. Related: Showdown Over Crime Fighting Comes To California, Again

As part of Tuesday's announcement, the governor ticked off a list of achievements to combat deadly fentanyl. The governor cited CalGuard-supported operations in February that netted over 1 million fentanyl pills statewide, including more than 592,900 pills at the state’s ports of entry; his California-Mexico border visit to meet with President Joe Biden and senior White House officials to discuss immigration and border policy; multistate efforts to get Congress to act on border security; and his words with Chinese President Xi Jinping in October about combating the transnational shipment of chemicals used to make fentanyl.

Newsom also touted a 50% increase in the number of CalGuard service members deployed to intercept drugs at the southern border and prevent trafficking by transnational criminal organizations. The efforts have been funded in part by a $30 million state investment that is part of the Governor’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis.

"The operations CalGuard supported resulted in the record seizure of 62,224 pounds of fentanyl in 2023 — a 1,066% increase since 2021," according to the governor's office.

Newsom also addressed stereotypes about fentanyl suppliers by referencing a Cato Institute study that found 89% of convicted fentanyl traffickers during 2022 were U.S. citizens.

Republicans have seized on southern border crossings in their campaign messages and have used the fentanyl scourge as a "see, this is what happens."

Newsom has come out fighting. Despite efforts to present a tough stance, however, he is still confronting a sobering statistic that weighs heavily in many hearts. According to California Department of Public Health statistics, 6,473 lives were lost in the Golden State during 2022 due to fentanyl. It's the most recent figure available. Few are expecting an improved 2023 report.