CINCINNATI In July, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Port of Cincinnati participated in Operation Artemis, part of the Department of Defense’s intelligence analysis and application efforts. Homeland Security (DHS) aimed at disrupting the fentanyl supply chain. As part of the national response to the opioid crisis, DHS has launched several special operations throughout 2023 to target drug trafficking organizations and the illicit flow of fentanyl.
The Port of Cincinnati knows the challenges our nation faces when it comes to protecting our citizens from the dangers of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, said CBP Supervisory Officer Eric Zizelman. Our agents are committed to meeting this challenge and are systematically using training and technology to find these dangerous drugs and working with our law enforcement counterparts to take action against criminal enterprises.
Since January 1, 2023, CBP officers in Cincinnati have seized 60 shipments containing 22 pill presses and 257 pill press components such as die sets, adapters and stamps. Additionally, officers seized three loads of fentanyl and two loads of xylazine. Shipments of xylazine came from India.
Used by veterinarians as a sedative for large animals, xylazine is increasingly found mixed with opioids like fentanyl and heroin, with often fatal results. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have issued warnings regarding xylazine, also known as tranq. In addition to the inherent danger of overdose, this chemical is not a narcotic and does not respond to Narcan. There is no known antidote.
This year, CBP officers in Cincinnati found fentanyl in the insulated panels of an oven, in the heating element of an electric coffee maker and in bags of nutritional supplements. The fentanyl came from Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Most of the pill presses and components found by Cincinnati officers were imported from China, with some coming from Canada, the Dominican Republic, India and Taiwan. Shipments were destined for the United States and countries around the world.
The daily work of our officers and specialists forms the backbone of our national defense against these deadly substances, said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, director of Chicago field operations. Whether stopping a shipment of fentanyl on the front lines or working with our local, federal, or international partners to dismantle transnational criminal organizations, CBP will continue to do its part to address this serious challenge facing our country. confronted with.
On October 3, the Department of Justice announced eight indictments charging China-based companies and their employees with crimes related to the production of fentanyl and methamphetamine, the distribution of synthetic opioids, and resulting sales of precursors chemicals. CBP and other law enforcement agencies initiated the cases that led to these indictments, another example of the importance of interagency cooperation and intelligence sharing, particularly in high-risk environments .
In four months of activity, CBP’s Operation Artemis led to more than 900 seizures, including more than 13,000 pounds of fentanyl precursor chemicals, more than 2,590 pounds of non-fentanyl precursor chemicals, 142 presses pill boxes and 325 pill molds, more than 270 pounds of fentanyl pills and powder and more than 210 pounds of Xylazine, more than 1,160 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 11,230 pounds of other finished synthetic drugs. Additionally, last week, CBP released a comprehensive, updated strategy to continue the fight against fentanyl and synthetic drugs that have killed hundreds of thousands of Americans and impacted countless lives, families and communities.
CBP conducts operations at ports of entry and export across the United States and regularly screens incoming and outgoing international passengers and cargo for narcotics, weapons, and other restricted or prohibited goods. . CBP strives to serve as the premier law enforcement agency improving the nation’s safety, security, and prosperity through collaboration, innovation, and integration.
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Image Source : www.cbp.gov