Border Patrol agents in California on Monday seized enough fentanyl to kill over 2 million people.
Agents in the El Centro border sector searched the vehicle at a highway checkpoint, where they found six black packages wrapped in cellophane hidden inside the car’s dashboard and air vents, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said Wednesday. The male driver, 53, and the female passenger, 27, in the car were both from Mexico and didn’t have the proper documents to be in the U.S.
The seizure included 4.2 kilograms of fentanyl and 2.1 kilograms of heroin, according to CBP. Using the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) own metric that 1 kilogram of fentanyl could kill 500,000 people, the fentanyl seized has the potential to kill around 2.1 million people.
Together, the drugs had an estimated street value of $189,200, according to CBP. (RELATED: Authorities In California Seize $1.5 Million Worth Of Fentanyl-Laced Pills, Fentanyl Powder In Two Weeks)
“Cross-border trafficking of fentanyl kills thousands of American citizens each year, and I am proud of our Indio Agents for their efforts in countering those who are bringing harmful drugs into the United States,” Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino said in a statement.
FILE PHOTO: Packets of fentanyl mostly in powder form and methamphetamine, which U.S. Customs and Border Protection say they seized from a truck crossing into Arizona from Mexico, is on display during a news conference at the Port of Nogales, Arizona, U.S., January 31, 2019. Courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY./File Photo
In a separate event, CBP officers recently seized enough fentanyl to kill over 12 million people at the Calexico West Port of Entry. The seizure weighed 54.85 pounds and had an estimated street value of $658,200.
CBP didn’t respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment. The DEA, which received the driver, passenger, vehicle and narcotics, declined to comment when reached for comment by TheDCNF.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.