California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday declared an augmentation in the deployment of California National Guard personnel along the U.S.-Mexico border to address the issue of illegal drug activities.
Approximately 20 additional soldiers will be stationed at the four U.S. ports located along the Mexican border, marking an escalation from the current 40 to a total of 60 service members. This reinforcement is specifically aimed at enhancing efforts to intercept drug trafficking, with a heightened focus on combating the distribution of substances such as fentanyl.
Newsom stated in a press release that fentanyl is a deadly drug that is tearing families and communities apart. He mentioned that California is taking action by intensifying efforts to combat this crisis and ensure the safety of communities, including deploying additional CalGuard service members.
Prior to the disposal of fentanyl, a substance that can be significantly more potent than heroin, up to 50 times so, law enforcement officers must first locate it. This undertaking involves thoroughly inspecting packages retrieved from cargo flights arriving at Los Angeles International Airport, with a substantial number of these packages originating from China.
In the month of June, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration successfully confiscated over 200 kilograms of precursor chemicals related to fentanyl. Simultaneously, the United States Justice Department initiated legal proceedings, filing charges against four China-based companies and eight Chinese nationals for their involvement in the distribution of fentanyl within the United States.
Recently published data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has verified a notable increase in the occurrence of fentanyl overdose fatalities that involve xylazine, an animal tranquilizer increasingly found within the illegal drug market. This alarming trend has been observed across the nation in recent years.
Over the past ten years, fentanyl has emerged as the primary cause of mortality among young adults in the United States. Simultaneously, Mexico's illicit drug trade has adjusted its focus from traditional plant-based substances to synthetic alternatives, resulting in the establishment of a more efficient and lucrative branch of the underground economy. The shift has ignited tensions in two of Washington's critical alliances, involving China and Mexico. Furthermore, it is quickly emerging as a key concern for US Republicans in anticipation of the 2024 presidential election, with candidates unveiling increasingly drastic plans to address both countries.
