Is 90% of Illegal Fentanyl in the US Seized at Legal Border Crossings?

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, more than 90% of illegal fentanyl seized in the United States is seized at legal border crossings, such as airports or guarded border crossings.

According to the department, the drug cartels primarily attempt to smuggle fentanyl in vehicles driven by U.S. citizens.

Fentanyl is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for pain management. It is often abused and is 50 times more potent than heroin.

Synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, are responsible for approximately 70% of the estimated 100,000 fatal overdoses in the US each year.

In Wisconsin, synthetic opioid deaths broke records under former President Donald Trump and under President Joe Biden, reaching 1,337 in 2022 before falling to about 1,300 in 2023.

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), who is running for re-election on November 5, 2024, against Republican Eric Hovde, alluded to the September 5 statistic.

This fact sheet is a response to conversations like these.

Sources

Department of Homeland Security: United States Study

US Department of Homeland Security: Fact Sheet: DHS is on the Frontlines of the Fight Against Illicit Opioids, Including Fentanyl

Wisconsin Watch: Is Fentanyl Killing More Than 100,000 Americans Each Year?

River Channel: 2024 Western Wisconsin Journal: U.S. Senate Candidate Tammy Baldwin (D)