Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced that the California National Guard supported counter-drug operations in 2023 that led to the record seizure of 62,224 pounds of fentanyl in California and the state’s ports of entry.

Since 2021, fentanyl seizures supported by CalGuard have increased by 1066%.

“Fentanyl is a poison, and it does not belong in our communities. California is cracking down — increasing seizures, expanding access to substance abuse treatment, and holding drug traffickers accountable to combat the immeasurable harm opioids have caused our communities,” said Gov. Newsom.

“The California National Guard is committed to combating the scourge of fentanyl,” said Major General Matthew P. Beevers, adjutant general of the California National Guard. “These extraordinary seizure statistics are a direct reflection of the tireless efforts of the highly trained CalGuard Service Members supporting law enforcement agencies statewide.”

Total fentanyl seized has risen dramatically each year, from 5,334 pounds, valued at $64.1 million in 2021, to 28,765 pounds valued at $230 million in 2022 and 62,224 pounds valued at $649 million in 2023.

Cracking down on illegal drugs being smuggled into California, Governor Newsom last year increased the number of CalGuard service members deployed to interdict drugs at U.S. ports of entry along the border by approximately 50%.

CalGaurd’s coordinated drug interdiction efforts in the state are funded in part by California’s $30 million investment in 2022 to expand CalGuard’s work to prevent drug-trafficking transnational criminal organizations.

The amount of fentanyl seized in California in 2023 is enough to potentially kill the global population nearly twice over. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, a lethal dose of fentanyl is 2 mg.

Since Gov. Newsom took office in 2019, California has invested over $1 billion to crack down on opioid trafficking and enforce the law, combat overdoses, support those with opioid use disorder, and raise awareness about the dangers of opioids.

The Governor’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis provides a comprehensive framework to deepen the impact of these investments — including through a CalRx effort where California will allocate $30 million to support partners in developing, manufacturing, procuring, and/or distributing a naloxone nasal product under the CalRx label and through new legislation to address the next wave of the overdose crisis.