According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, drug traffickers are increasingly using the U.S. Postal Service and other carriers to transport lethal fentanyl into the country.
CBP officers stated in response to a query from Breitbart Texas that the amount of fentanyl being smuggled into the country through the U.S. mail and other regular express consignment carriers like UPS, FedEx, and DHL is rising alarmingly. More than 500 pounds of fentanyl were taken by CBP agents from carrier facilities during the previous fiscal year, which came to a close on Sept. 30, 2022.
According to Drug Enforcement Admin. experts, fentanyl doses as low as 2 milligrams can be lethal. Per pound, there are over 453,592 mg. These facilities have seized an equivalent of roughly 227 million deadly doses.
CBP agents found 475.48 pounds of fentanyl in carrier operations centers during FY22. In FY 2020, there were 162.97 pounds of fentanyl, according to statistics provided by CBP officials. This amounts to an increase of around 194%. Officers seized 405.02 pounds in FY21, a 148 percent increase from FY 2020. According to CBP, agents also found 77.97 pounds of fentanyl over the first four months of FY23.
The frequency of smuggling incidents that are intercepted is likewise rising. In these express carrier hubs, 38 fentanyl shipments were intercepted by authorities in FY2020. There was an increase of 87 in FY21 and 131 in FY22. Officers have thwarted 26 additional attempts at smuggling so far this year.
In the eight main USPS international postal branches, 30.88 pounds of fentanyl were reported confiscated in FY22, according to officials. This is an increase from 24.68 pounds in FY 2020 and 23.94 pounds in FY21. Officers have found 18.52 pounds more of fentanyl so far this year in U.S. international postal facilities.
The supplies arrive in the United States from Mexico, China, the Middle East, and other countries, according to CBP agents who spoke to Breitbart. Quantities broken down by country of origin were not readily available in statistics.
CBP officers employ a wide range of tools to track down and stop these potentially lethal shipments. These include non-intrusive x-ray machines, K-9 searches of locations and goods, and intelligence tips.
The packages containing delivery information and the drugs that were recovered are given to ICE Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.
