California officials have seized almost $1.7 million worth of fentanyl in two recent traffic stops, one involving the drug hidden in raw beef. The first stop took place in Fresno County, where 11 pounds of fentanyl were found inside packages of carne asada beef. The following day, around 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills were seized in Merced County. Two Washington residents were arrested in connection with the second stop.
Governor Gavin Newsom commended the efforts of the California Highway Patrol in getting dangerous drugs off the streets and holding drug peddlers accountable. Additional service members were added at state entry ports in June to help crack down on fentanyl trafficking.
A survey conducted by the Rand Corporation earlier this year revealed that over 40% of American adults know someone who has died from a drug overdose. Fatal overdoses have been increasing since 2000, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl being the primary cause. In 2022, more than 109,000 U.S. deaths were attributed to overdoses, an increase from the previous year. Recent data from the CDC shows a 2% increase in overdose deaths through September 2023 compared to 2022.
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