CO State Patrol Seized Nearly Two Tons Of Narcotics In 2021

DENVER, CO — Though the Colorado State Patrol's Smuggling, Trafficking and Interdiction Section reported 3 percent fewer cases in 2021 compared to 2020, it seized more narcotics than it has in any of the previous five years, officials said.

In 2021, the team seized nearly two tons of narcotics, which included 1,434 pounds of Methamphetamine and 151 pounds of Fentanyl powder, officials said in a news release. That quantity of Methamphetamine represents a 291 percent increase from 2020, and the quantity of Fentanyl powder represents a 403 percent increase from 2020. This does not include the nearly 14,000 fentanyl pills and other drugs that were also seized during the year, officials said.

"The pandemic has not slowed the massive amount of narcotics that are coming into our state every day to be distributed to cities all over Colorado," said Captain Bill Barkley of the Colorado State Patrol. "We are fighting this war on drugs every day in an attempt to dismantle drug trafficking organizations who are smuggling narcotics into our state. In order to do this, you must seize their deadly drugs and their illicit US currency to stop their operations."

Barkley said that, in addition to the narcotics that the team seized in 2021, "68 illegal firearms, and over $3.1 million in illicit US Currency," was also seized.

The seized currency represents an increase of 16 percent from 2020 and an increase of 143 percent from 2017, officials said. This quantity of money was seized in fewer loads (53) in 2021 than occurred in 2020 (65), meaning that, on average, each load represented nearly $60,000, an increase of more than $17,000 per load from 2020.

Officials said 174 of the team's 361 seizures originated in the state, while 205 cases were "destined for Colorado."

"Our ultimate mission is to save Coloradan lives from this poison that has already taken too many lives from addiction and overdoses. The STIS is dedicated every day to this mission," Barkley said.

Commerce City police officers, responding to a report of "unconscious adults" at a home on Sunday, found that five people had died, according to a news release. Investigation into their deaths found that they had overdosed on fentanyl.

"Although the investigation is still ongoing, it appears the five adults ingested the suspect fentanyl and succumbed to the narcotic," officials said, adding that "the use of fentanyl, intentionally or unintentionally, and the subsequent overdose deaths associated with its use has reached epic proportions in Colorado.

"Therefore, the Commerce City Police Department reminds those struggling with drug addiction to please reach out to the national drug addiction hotline (sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services – SAMHSA) at 1-800-622-4357."