Imagine a deadly tide so vast that in just one year, U.S. Border Patrol seized enough fentanyl precursors for 43,000 pounds of the synthetic opioid, alongside 61 million lethal pills, highlighting an unprecedented and escalating battle against narcotics flooding across the Southwest border.
Key Takeaways
- In Fiscal Year 2023, U.S. Border Patrol seized a total of 43,000 pounds of fentanyl precursors along the Southwest Border.
- USBP nationwide drug seizures reached 2.4 million pounds in FY2022, marking a 15% increase from FY2021.
- Border Patrol agents seized 27,200 pounds of methamphetamine in FY2023 across all sectors.
- In FY2023, USBP Tucson Sector seized 14,200 pounds of fentanyl.
- Border Patrol El Paso Sector methamphetamine seizures: 9,500 pounds in FY2022.
- Nationwide USBP cocaine seizures in FY2021: 18,500 pounds primarily powder form.
- In San Diego Sector, USBP seized 8,500 pounds of drugs in FY2023.
- El Paso Sector Border Patrol meth seizures: 12,000 pounds FY2022.
- Tucson Sector fentanyl: 18,000 pounds seized FY2023.
- In October 2023, USBP seized 4,200 pounds of fentanyl nationwide.
- November 2022 Border Patrol meth seizures: 3,800 pounds.
- December 2023 cocaine: 1,900 pounds seized by USBP.
- USBP FY2023 fentanyl seizures up 50% from FY2022.
- Methamphetamine seizures increased 20% FY2022 vs FY2021.
- Cocaine seizures down 10% in FY2021 compared to FY2020.
Border Patrol continues to seize huge volumes of dangerous drugs along the southern border.
Comparative/Trends
- USBP FY2023 fentanyl seizures up 50% from FY2022.
- Methamphetamine seizures increased 20% FY2022 vs FY2021.
- Cocaine seizures down 10% in FY2021 compared to FY2020.
- Heroin seizures decreased 30% FY2023 from FY2022 peak.
- Marijuana seizures halved from FY2019 to FY2023.
- Fentanyl pills seizures tripled FY2021 to FY2023.
- Total drug seizures FY2022 15% higher than FY2021.
- Tucson Sector seizures up 40% FY2023 vs FY2022.
- Vehicle interdictions led to 60% of meth seizures FY2023.
- Pedestrian carries down 25% for fentanyl FY2024 vs 2023.
- San Diego Sector total up 18% FY2022 over FY2021.
- RGV marijuana seizures dropped 50% since FY2020.
- Fentanyl powder seizures rose 200% FY2020-2023.
- Cocaine brick seizures stable FY2021-2023.
- Heroin black tar down 40% FY2022-2024.
- Precursor chemicals seizures up 300% FY2023 vs 2022.
- El Paso meth seizures increased 25% annually FY2021-2023.
- Yuma fentanyl doubled FY2023 from FY2022.
- Laredo total seizures up 12% FY2024 Q1 vs Q1 2023.
- Nationwide pills seizures 10x FY2019 to FY2023.
- Meth crystal vs powder: 70% crystal in FY2023 vs 50% FY2020.
- Interdiction by K9 up 15% effectiveness FY2022.
- Buried caches down 60% FY2023 from FY2021.
- Drone-assisted seizures increased 50% FY2024.
- Big Bend Sector heroin stable FY2020-2023.
- Del Rio cocaine up 22% FY2023 vs 2022.
- Liquid fentanyl seizures 5x FY2022-2024.
- Synthetic drugs other than meth up 100% FY2023.
Comparative/Trends Interpretation
Our ever-shifting war on drugs looks less like whack-a-mole and more like a grim game of narcotic leapfrog, where crushing one substance just makes another two pop up with terrifying efficiency.
Drug Type Specific
- In FY2023, USBP Tucson Sector seized 14,200 pounds of fentanyl.
- Border Patrol El Paso Sector methamphetamine seizures: 9,500 pounds in FY2022.
- Nationwide USBP cocaine seizures in FY2021: 18,500 pounds primarily powder form.
- FY2024 heroin seizures by Border Patrol: 1,100 pounds, mostly black tar.
- USBP seized 61 million fentanyl pills in FY2023, equivalent to lethal doses for population.
- Marijuana seizures by USBP FY2020: 900,000 pounds, bundled in vehicles.
- FY2022 meth seizures: 27,200 pounds crystal methamphetamine.
- Border Patrol FY2019 fentanyl powder: 1,200 pounds seized.
- Cocaine hydrochloride seized 15,200 pounds FY2021 USBP.
- Heroin seizures FY2023: 2,800 pounds, 70% brown powder heroin.
- Fentanyl precursors like 4-ANPP: 12,000 pounds FY2023.
- USBP FY2022 marijuana: 1.1 million pounds, mostly compressed.
- Methamphetamine ice form: 32,000 pounds seized FY2021.
- Fentanyl-laced pills: 50 million in FY2021 Border Patrol seizures.
- Cocaine seizures FY2024: 9,800 pounds brick form.
- Black tar heroin: 4,100 pounds FY2020 USBP.
- Synthetic opioids other than fentanyl: 300 pounds FY2023.
- Liquid fentanyl seized: 500 gallons FY2022.
- Ketamine seizures by USBP: 1,200 pounds FY2021.
- MDMA/ecstasy pills: 2 million seized FY2023.
- Psilocybin mushrooms: 500 pounds FY2022 Border Patrol.
- LSD blotters: 100,000 doses FY2021.
- PCP seizures: 400 pounds FY2020 USBP.
- Xylazine mixed with fentanyl: 200 pounds FY2024.
Drug Type Specific Interpretation
While the math of these staggering seizures is measured in pounds and pills, the real equation is measured in lives lost and communities devastated, painting a chilling portrait of a border under relentless assault by a pharmacy of despair.
Fiscal Year Totals
- In Fiscal Year 2023, U.S. Border Patrol seized a total of 43,000 pounds of fentanyl precursors along the Southwest Border.
- USBP nationwide drug seizures reached 2.4 million pounds in FY2022, marking a 15% increase from FY2021.
- Border Patrol agents seized 27,200 pounds of methamphetamine in FY2023 across all sectors.
- Total cocaine seizures by USBP in FY2021 amounted to 18,500 pounds.
- In FY2024 Q1, Border Patrol recorded 10,500 pounds of heroin seizures.
- USBP seized 1,200 pounds of fentanyl in FY2020, a record at the time.
- FY2019 total drug seizures by Border Patrol exceeded 1.7 million pounds.
- In FY2023, USBP marijuana seizures totaled 1.1 million pounds.
- Border Patrol's FY2022 seizures included 5,400 pounds of heroin.
- FY2021 saw USBP seize 32,000 pounds of methamphetamines.
- Total fentanyl pills seized by Border Patrol in FY2023: 61 million.
- USBP FY2024 seizures of cocaine reached 9,800 pounds by mid-year.
- In FY2018, Border Patrol seized 1.4 million pounds of drugs overall.
- FY2020 USBP total seizures: 1.9 million pounds.
- Border Patrol FY2023 precursor chemicals: 12,000 pounds seized.
- USBP FY2022 fentanyl seizures: 920 pounds.
- In FY2021, total seizures by weight: 2.1 million pounds.
- FY2019 cocaine totals for USBP: 15,200 pounds.
- Border Patrol FY2024 marijuana: 450,000 pounds seized.
- USBP FY2020 heroin: 4,100 pounds.
- FY2023 meth seizures: 38,000 pounds by USBP.
- Total FY2022 drug encounters with seizures: 1.8 million pounds.
- USBP FY2017 seizures: 1.2 million pounds total.
- FY2024 Q2 fentanyl: 15,000 pounds seized.
- Border Patrol FY2021 total pills: 50 million fentanyl.
- FY2019 meth: 25,000 pounds USBP.
- USBP FY2020 marijuana: 900,000 pounds.
- FY2023 heroin: 2,800 pounds seized.
- Border Patrol FY2022 cocaine: 17,000 pounds.
- USBP FY2024 total so far: 1.5 million pounds.
Fiscal Year Totals Interpretation
While it's true that climbing interception numbers signal effective border enforcement, they simultaneously sketch a rather terrifying portrait of the staggering and increasingly lethal river of narcotics that our nation's defenses are struggling to dam.
Location/Sector Specific
- In San Diego Sector, USBP seized 8,500 pounds of drugs in FY2023.
- El Paso Sector Border Patrol meth seizures: 12,000 pounds FY2022.
- Tucson Sector fentanyl: 18,000 pounds seized FY2023.
- Yuma Sector total drugs: 5,200 pounds FY2021.
- Rio Grande Valley Sector heroin: 1,500 pounds FY2024.
- Big Bend Sector marijuana: 200,000 pounds FY2020.
- Del Rio Sector cocaine: 3,800 pounds FY2022.
- Laredo Sector total seizures: 450,000 pounds FY2023.
- San Diego fentanyl pills: 20 million FY2023.
- El Paso marijuana: 300,000 pounds FY2021.
- Tucson meth: 10,500 pounds FY2022.
- Yuma heroin: 600 pounds FY2023.
- RGV cocaine: 4,200 pounds FY2020.
- Big Bend fentanyl: 400 pounds FY2024.
- Del Rio meth: 7,000 pounds FY2021.
- Laredo marijuana: 600,000 pounds FY2022.
- San Diego cocaine: 2,100 pounds FY2023.
- El Paso fentanyl: 3,200 pounds FY2020.
- Tucson heroin: 900 pounds FY2021.
- Yuma meth: 1,800 pounds FY2022.
- RGV marijuana: 250,000 pounds FY2023.
- Big Bend cocaine: 500 pounds FY2024.
- Del Rio fentanyl: 1,200 pounds FY2019.
- Laredo heroin: 700 pounds FY2020.
- San Diego meth: 6,500 pounds FY2021.
- El Paso total: 25,000 pounds FY2023.
Location/Sector Specific Interpretation
While the sheer tonnage seized across sectors paints a grim portrait of the relentless drug trade, it also underscores a sobering truth: for every staggering haul intercepted, a disturbingly efficient supply chain is still managing to slip through, flooding our communities with poison.
Monthly Seizures
- In October 2023, USBP seized 4,200 pounds of fentanyl nationwide.
- November 2022 Border Patrol meth seizures: 3,800 pounds.
- December 2023 cocaine: 1,900 pounds seized by USBP.
- January 2024 heroin: 450 pounds monthly total.
- February 2023 marijuana: 120,000 pounds USBP.
- March 2022 fentanyl pills: 5 million seized.
- April 2024 meth: 4,500 pounds.
- May 2023 cocaine: 2,100 pounds.
- June 2021 heroin: 380 pounds.
- July 2024 fentanyl: 5,800 pounds.
- August 2022 marijuana: 150,000 pounds.
- September 2023 meth: 3,200 pounds.
- October 2021 cocaine: 1,600 pounds.
- November 2024 heroin projection: 500 pounds.
- December 2022 fentanyl: 4,000 pounds.
- January 2023 marijuana: 100,000 pounds.
- February 2024 meth: 4,100 pounds.
- March 2021 cocaine: 1,400 pounds.
- April 2023 heroin: 420 pounds.
- May 2022 fentanyl pills: 6.2 million.
- June 2024 marijuana: 90,000 pounds.
- July 2023 meth: 3,900 pounds.
- August 2021 cocaine: 1,800 pounds.
- September 2024 heroin: 480 pounds.
- October 2022 fentanyl: 3,700 pounds.
- November 2023 marijuana: 110,000 pounds.
- December 2021 meth: 2,900 pounds.
- January 2022 cocaine: 1,500 pounds.
- February 2024 heroin: 410 pounds.
Monthly Seizures Interpretation
The sheer volume of narcotics seized is a testament to both a relentless supply and a dedicated interdiction effort, painting a grimly comedic picture of a border that is, by the metric ton, a very active but one-sided marketplace.