California’s Counter Drug Task Force has confiscated of nearly 22,000 pounds of illegal fentanyl and more than 37 million pills containing fentanyl so far this year. The drugs have a street value of nearly $300 million.
In January, 557 pounds of fentanyl and 319,732 pills with a street value of $3.6 million were seized.
“I’m proud of the work we are doing across the state to educate Californians on the dangers of fentanyl, remove this addictive drug off our streets and provide treatment – like naloxone – to save lives,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
California National Guard (Cal Guard) Task Force members, through the Counter Drug Task Force, are strategically deployed statewide to combat narcotics trafficking and transnational criminal organizations. California has invested $60 million over four years in Cal Guard’s coordinated drug interdiction efforts, and Newsom more than doubled the number of service members supporting fentanyl interdiction last year.
Through the Task Force’s Drug Demand Reduction Outreach program, Cal Guard service members are working to prevent drug use in schools. Service members visited 45 high-risk schools, engaging 33,437 students, between October and December 2024.
Newsom’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis also has launched various initiatives in to combat illicit opioids.