CALIFORNIA, USA — Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday he's increasing the number of California National Guard members at the U.S.-Mexico border to combat illegal drugs.
About 20 more soldiers will be placed at the four U.S. ports along the Mexico border, an increase from 40 to 60 service members. This is to intercept drug trafficking, especially fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is a deadly poison ripping families and communities apart. California is cracking down — and today we’re going further by deploying more CalGuard service members to combat this crisis and keep our communities safe," Newsom said in a statement.
More than 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, according to the CDC.
The Department of Homeland Security said a majority of fentanyl smuggled into the U.S. at ports is by U.S. citizens not migrants seeking asylum.
As of July 1, more than 11,760 pounds of fentanyl has been seized in California so far this year. That same month, a drug dealer was convicted of second-degree murder for the fentanyl-related death of a 15-year-old Roseville girl.
According to Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, in the last three years, about 400 people in Sacramento County have died from fentanyl, more than all the gun-related homicides during that same time.
The announcement comes after grieving parents who lost a loved one to fentanyl filed a proposal for a new statewide initiative called "Stop Fentanyl Dealers" initiative.
The governor's office said law enforcement seized nearly 29,000 pounds of fentanyl in California valued at more than $230 million in 2022.
Just two milligrams of fentanyl, which is equal to about 10-15 grains of table salt, is considered a lethal dose, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Fentanyl is so dangerous because its potency is 50x to 100x stronger than morphine, according to the CDC.
Watch more on ABC10 | Fentanyl Crisis: Inside the challenge of prosecuting dealers