DEA: Fentanyl is ‘serious drug threat’ across US and rising in Utah
Jul 25, 2024, 2:09 PM | Updated: 3:37 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — According to the Rocky Mountain Field Division Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is the leading cause of death among Americans 18-45 years old. Its reach has run into all states, including Utah.
On Thursday, more than a dozen agency representatives and leaders pushed the vital message of how deadly these drugs are and how prevalent they are in Utah.
Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl is deadly to most people. For an idea of how much that is: It is smaller than a pinky-sized fingernail. Rather, it is the size of only a few dots of sugar.
Jonathan Pullen, special agent in charge for the DEA’s Rocky Mountain Field Division, said the minuscule amount is hard to see and impossible to identify as fentanyl pills are made to look like a regular pill one would get from their doctor.
“If you’re not getting prescription pills from your doctor or your pharmacist, they are likely going to contain fentanyl and they are likely going to kill you,” Pullen said.
In 2023, Utah set a new record seizing 664,200 fentanyl pills.
This year, from January to June, the state has already surpassed that with more than 774,000 fentanyl pills seized so far.
“There is no rhyme or reason to how much fentanyl goes into each pill. That’s why seven out of 10 of these are so deadly,” Pullen said.
Fentanyl is the most serious drug threat in U.S. history and is easily accessible.
“They pay with (the) Cash app on their phone. College kids do the same thing. They’re incredibly easy to get. You don’t have to go to some rough neighborhood to pick up these pills and get ‘em anywhere,” Pullen said.
The DEA said the two main sources of fentanyl coming into Utah are the Sinaloa and Jalisco drug cartels.
Seized fentanyl pills are displayed during a press conference about the dangers and increase in fentanyl at the Drug Enforcement Administration Salt Lake City District Office in Salt Lake City on Thursday. The pills are marked to look like authentic pharmaceutical drugs but are fake and can be deadly. (Photo: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
To combat this, Pullen said they and partnering agencies do undercover work, as well as use technology, drones, and troopers on the road. Working with other states across the country, they try to catch the drugs before they make their way into Utah.
“In just one case alone that my office is prosecuting, we have over 200,000 pills,” said Trina Higgins, U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah.
Higgins said they do not just want to punish the driver. Rather, they want to go up the chain to the cartels responsible.
They said St. George to Salt Lake City serves as a main corridor for these deadly drugs.
They tell us fentanyl pills cost two to four cents per pill, but sell for $5-6 each in Salt Lake City. Bulk purchases cost even less per pill and are sold for more profit.
