SAN DIEGO — A record amount of fentanyl continues to make its way through the San Diego border, which is the busiest sector of the border in the country.
In the first month of the new year, Border Patrol agents reported a 300% increase in fentanyl seizures compared to a year ago.
Last Friday, 300 pounds of narcotics were seized with a street value of about $4 million. A large bulk of that came from just one bust.
"Just last week, one of our agents in Pine Valley pulled a vehicle over in which 250 pounds of fentanyl were seized," said agent Angel Moreno.
The fentanyl-laced pills were found in 57 packages hidden inside a car.
"That’s just a small example of some of the efforts we are making daily," he added.
The amount of fentanyl seized so far is enough to kill over 30 million people.
Moreno says agents are on high alert since most fentanyl seized in the United States is coming through the San Diego sector.
"We must be out there patrolling and ensuring we are keeping our community safe," said Moreno.
"It’s a big business. There’s a lot of money in fentanyl," said Alfredo Pineda, who has seen the danger of fentanyl firsthand.
"I overdosed on the bus, fell asleep on the bus, stopped breathing, and the bus driver called the ambulance, and they had to use Narcan to revive me," he added.
He says the drug is highly addictive and can be found easily.
"I’m just grateful to be alive every day," said Pineda.
Agents say one of the challenges they face is that smugglers are finding creative ways to bring the drugs into the U.S.
"Once we identify that they’re using a specific means to smuggle, they will adjust, and we will counteract. so there’s always this push-pull factors, this cat and mouse game," added Moreno.
Moreno says the surge in migrants also complicates efforts by redirecting already stretched resources to help with the humanitarian crisis.
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