MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reported that more than 184,382 fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills and more than 316 pounds of fentanyl powder was confiscated last year by the Louisville, Kentucky division last year.
The Louisville DEA division includes Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
According to the DEA, across the country, more than 50.6 million of those fake, drug laced prescription pills, as well as more than 10,000 pounds of fentanyl powder were seized in total last year.
The amount of fentanyl seized in 2022 was enough to make 379 million deadly doses of the drug.
Fentanyl is considered the deadliest drug in the country, the DEA said. The man-made opioid is said to be highly addictive, and its use and distribution has only increased drug related deaths and worsened the constant war on drugs in the U.S.
“Fentanyl is a national problem and it’s landed right on our doorstep,” said Todd Scott, special agent in charge of the DEA’s Louisville Division. “No one is immune to this scourge. Fentanyl is killing Americans in record numbers and almost every community has been touched by these deaths.”
An administrator from the DEA, Anne Milgram, said the operation’s main priority is to pursue Mexican drug cartels that are responsible for the distribution and trafficking of fentanyl.
The DEA said two Mexican drug cartels, Sinaloa cartel and Jalisco cartel, are behind the trafficking of fentanyl. The DEA believes the deadly drug is being mass produced in secret factories in Mexico.
Fentanyl seizures have doubled since 2021, the DEA said.
Fake fentanyl-laced pills are made to resemble other prescription pills like OxyContin, Percocet, and Xanax.
Consumers should be careful and cautious to prevent accidental consumption of fentanyl. Fentanyl-laced pills can be easily mistaken for the opioid drugs that they mimic.
Remember, purchasing prescription drugs or pharmaceutical pills online or on social media is an extreme risk. It is always possible for drugs purchased online to be different than advertised.
To track the amount of fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder seized by the DEA, visit http://www.dea.gov.
The DEA has also made a Faces of Fentanyl memorial to remember those who die from fentanyl use and poisoning. If you want to remember a loved one, submit a photo with their first and last name and age to fentanylawareness@dea.gov.
You can also post a photo of your loved one with their name to your personal social media, using the hashtag #JustKNOW.
