U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration officials in San Diego announced that this month's total seizure of fentanyl-laced pills has reached tens of thousands, as part of a crackdown on criminal networks that distribute these drugs across the country and increase the number of overdose deaths.

United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in the San Diego area John Callery commented, "I am pleased to announce that our agents seized more than 131 thousand 500 counterfeit fentanyl pills in the last eight days, pills that could have added to the rising number of overdose deaths in our communities."

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid which was found in the majority of the pills seized, as well as 1.9 kilograms of powdered fentanyl, five pounds of methamphetamine, one kilogram of heroin, 720 fake Xanax pills containing methamphetamine, LSD and psilocybin mushrooms were seized during this period.

Lisa Monaco, U.S. Assistant Attorney General, and Anne Milgram, Administrator of the DEA, announced at a press conference that law enforcement measures will be strengthened to protect the community.

The counterfeit pills are manufactured to resemble the drugs Xanax, Percocet, Vicodin, Oxycotin, Aderall, among others. According to the federal agency four out of every 10 pills feature a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl and the amount of these pills has increased 430% since 2019. According to the DEA the amount of fentanyl-laced pills seized is enough to kill more than 700 thousand people.

With information from NBC 7 San Diego

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