Border Patrol confiscations exceed nearly 230,000 pounds in just 2021 so far

Trends reveal drastic increase of Fentanyl-related incidents

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection's most recent figures reveal that the agency has seized more than 229,000 pounds of drugs nationwide within the first four months of Fiscal Year 2021.

Though October 2020 saw a substantial increase compared to prior years, November 2020 - January 2021 correspondingly yielded much less.

Southwestern border confiscations are undoubtedly a majority of all seized contraband across America. They accounted for over 92% of the nation's total in 2018 alone. However, 2019 and 2020 accrued only 84%. That number has since fallen even further to just under 74% this year.

Of the drugs listed, the most visible upward trend in fentanyl-related weight is most concerning. Numbers in 2020 nearly doubled to 4,776 pounds; greatly contrasting the 2,283 and 2,801 measurements of 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Though Fiscal Year 2021 is only a quarter of the way completed, fentanyl confiscations have already amounted to over 85% of 2020's total measured activity.

If this fentanyl trend continues, confiscations may surpass 10,000 pounds by the end of the fiscal year.