Golden State Today

From January to April 2024, California's Counterdrug Task Force has assisted law enforcement agencies in seizing more than 5.8 million fentanyl pills across the state, including at ports of entry along the southern border. Governor Gavin Newsom announced this development today, highlighting that in April alone, over 2.3 million fentanyl pills were seized through efforts coordinated by the California National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force.

"Illegal fentanyl has no place in our neighborhoods," stated Governor Newsom. "California is tackling this problem head-on by holding drug traffickers accountable and increasing seizures, while at the same time expanding access to substance abuse treatment options and providing life-saving, affordable reversal medicine to Californians statewide."

Governor Newsom also introduced opioids.ca.gov, a resource for Californians seeking prevention and treatment information and updates on how the state is addressing accountability within Big Pharma and among drug traffickers amid this crisis. The state plans to purchase naloxone at approximately half of its current market price to enhance accessibility and save more lives.

"Our Counterdrug Task Force continues to deliver extraordinary value to our law enforcement partners statewide," said CalGuard Major General Matthew Beevers. "The volume of seizures we’re enabling and supporting demonstrates our commitment to denying operating capital to drug cartels and making California safer."

The Governor’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis provides a comprehensive framework for addressing these issues through overdose prevention efforts, holding the opioid pharmaceutical industry accountable, cracking down on drug trafficking, and raising awareness about opioid dangers.

In 2023, operations supported by CalGuard resulted in a record seizure of 62,224 pounds of fentanyl — a significant increase from previous years. These interdiction efforts are partly funded by California’s $30 million investment aimed at preventing drug trafficking by transnational criminal organizations.

Governor Newsom also discussed combating transnational shipping of precursor chemicals used for creating fentanyl with Chinese President Xi Jinping last October as part of President Biden’s bilateral cooperation agreement with China on counternarcotics.