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FACT BRIEF

Is 90% of illegal fentanyl confiscated in the US seized at legal ports of entry?

By Tom Kertscher
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YES

More than 90% of illegal fentanyl confiscated in the United States is seized at legal ports of entry, such as airports or monitored border crossings, according to the U.S. Homeland Security Department.

Cartels try to smuggle fentanyl mainly in vehicles driven by U.S. citizens, the department says.

Fentanyl is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for pain relief. Often abused, it is 50 times more potent than heroin.

Synthetic opioids — mainly fentanyl — account for about 70% of the estimated 100,000 fatal drug overdoses in the U.S. annually.

In Wisconsin, synthetic opioid deaths set records under former President Donald Trump and under President Joe Biden. They reached 1,337 in 2022 before dropping to around 1,300 in 2023.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., who is running for re-election Nov. 5, 2024, against Republican Eric Hovde, alluded to the 90% statistic Sept. 5.

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Homeland Security Department Study in the States
US Department of Homeland Security Fact Sheet: DHS is on the Front Lines Combating Illicit Opioids, Including Fentanyl
Wisconsin Watch Does fentanyl kill more than 100,000 Americans every year?
River Channel 2024 Western Wisconsin Journal: U.S. Senate Candidate Tammy Baldwin (D)
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.