In mid-July, Republican Attorney General of Florida, Ashley Moody, petitioned Democrat Joe Biden to classify illicit fentanyl as a Weapon Of Mass Destruction because there is imminent danger to Americans due to international drug smugglers who are handing enough of the drug to kill a good portion of the citizens of the United States.
The following is a press release from Moody’s office:
Following two mass overdose incidents in a week in two Florida counties and the meteoric increase in deaths related to fentanyl nationwide, Attorney General Ashley Moody is calling on President Joe Biden to classify illicit fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction. Last Tuesday, in Tampa, police responded to a convenience store where seven individuals were found unresponsive after consuming drugs laced with fentanyl and a veterinary tranquilizer. Over the recent Fourth of July weekend in Gadsden County, at least 19 people overdosed on fentanyl. Back in March, five West Point cadets overdosed on cocaine mixed with fentanyl while on spring break in Wilton Manors—exposing a first responder who also overdosed attempting to resuscitate the cadets. According to reports, more than 75,000 Americans died of an opioid overdose during the 12-month period ending in April 2021, primarily from synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
Attorney General Moody today sent a letter to President Biden demanding he take immediate action to stop the fentanyl crisis killing hundreds of Americans every day. The letter directs the president to classify fentanyl as a WMD, enabling and requiring more parts of the federal government to coordinate a uniform response to illicit fentanyl, including the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Defense.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Border patrol has seized enough fentanyl to the kill the entire American population many times over. With that in mind, and the recent mass overdose events in Hillsborough and Gadsden counties, I am demanding President Biden classify illicit fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction. The federal government already works to disrupt the supply chains of other chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons—it’s not hard to imagine that similar tactics could be used to reduce the flow of illicit fentanyl into the U.S. through cartels in Mexico—and save countless American lives.”
According to DHS, a WMD is a nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological or other device that is intended to harm a large number of people. In 2018, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate assessed that “fentanyl is very likely a viable option for a chemical weapon attack.”
In 2019, DHS considered the designation. A memo from James McDonnell, then-assistant secretary for the DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, states that the drug’s “high toxicity and increasing availability are attractive to threat actors seeking non-conventional materials for a chemical weapons attack.” According to the memo, DOD also proposed fentanyl receive a WMD designation.
Fentanyl is a highly deadly synthetic opioid. Just two milligrams can be lethal. It is now the number one killer of adults ages 18-45. Fentanyl-related deaths among teens increased 168% in 2020, with 680 deaths nationwide—last year, 77% of all teen overdose deaths involved fentanyl. Many of these deaths can be attributed to use of counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl, coming from Mexican drug cartels. It is estimated that at least one third of illicitly manufactured pills are contaminated with fentanyl, and users often have no idea that they are ingesting the lethal substance.
To read the full letter, click here.
Moody is on to something.
Fox News reported that Arizona CBP agents seize enough fentanyl to kill 42 million people, the haul was valued at $4.3 Million dollars, in a latest border drug bust.
Customs and Border Protection officials in Arizona said the driver of the car carrying the fentanyl was ‘noticeably nervous’ as she was questioned.
The seizure happened in the Tucson, Arizona Sector when agents conducted a vehicle stop on a white Chevy Equinox and observed several duffel bags in the car, according to a press release. Agents also noticed that the female driver was “noticeably nervous as she was questioned.” Another female was in the car, and both are U.S. citizens, according to officials.
CBP agents then searched the vehicle with her consent and found three bags that contained packages wrapped in black tape, in addition to being coated in axle grease, according to the government agency.
It was later determined that the 340 packages of fentanyl pills weighed a total of 187 pounds.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents seized an estimated $4.3 million worth of fentanyl pills on Wednesday evening.
8/23 new concealment: CBP Officers at the Nogales POE discovered approx 14,000 fentanyl pills hidden in crutches being used by a pedestrian. During inspection, a CBP Officer found the crutches to be excessively heavy. K9 and X-Ray examination confirmed suspicions. pic.twitter.com/Vx3hZU7Pgh
— Port Director Michael W. Humphries (@CBPPortDirNOG) August 25, 2022
There was enough fentanyl pills to potentially kill 42,410,900 people, according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
The female driver of the car will face prosecution for drug charges and the case was handed to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the press release said.
Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone said that the efforts of CBP agents to keep drugs off the streets is life saving.
“I am grateful for the incredible work by Border Patrol agents to keep drugs off our streets,” said Sheriff Paul Penzone. “Their efforts will save lives and promote safety.”
Nogales Port of Entry Director Michael Humphries tweeted on Wednesday that border patrol agents found 14,000 fentanyl pills that were stuffed into a pair of crutches that were being used by a pedestrian. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in Arizona found 14,000 fentanyl pills inside a pair of crutches that were being used by a pedestrian. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in Arizona found 14,000 fentanyl pills inside a pair of crutches that were being used by a pedestrian. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)