Newsom sending additional California National Guard troops to border to help stop illegal importation of fentanyl
SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom is stepping up the state's war on Fentanyl by sending additional California National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border.
On Thursday, Newsom announced via a written statement that he is increasing the deployment of California National Guard service members by approximately 40 to 60 soldiers at the four U.S. ports of entry along the border to help with the detection of illegal drugs, including fentanyl. This is a move that builds on the state's billion-dollar investment to tackle the fentanyl and opioid crisis, the governor's office says.
The statement further points out that this action is meant to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection narcotic search operations, including a vehicle X-ray system that detects drugs on vehicles.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is 50 times more powerful than heroin. Two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, depending on a person's body size, tolerance and past usage, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Around 42% of pills tested for fentanyl contained at least two milligrams of the drug.