SALT LAKE CITY — It's not car accidents or suicide—fentanyl is the leading cause of death for those in this country between the ages of 18 and 45.
Despite the DEA's strong efforts to seize these lethal drugs, with 77 million fentanyl pills and 12,000 pounds of fentanyl power seized nationally in 2023, fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat in the United States.
And although the DEA's Mountain Field Division, which includes Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, is seizing the drug on a record pace, it difficult to keep up with its wide illegal distribution.
That's because Mexican drug cartels flood the market, as Mexico can manufacture the drug for as little two cents per pill and sell it here for upwards of $60 per pill.
To combat this scourge, during the week of May 13, the DEA, IRS, and the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area launched an operation code-named “Operation Cash Out” to focus on drug profits.
Across Utah and the other states in the region, investigators contacted approximately 200 money service businesses to cooperate regarding the movement of the drug cartels' profits.
DEA continues to target the Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco Cartel (the two most responsible for the flow of fentanyl in the United States) through investigations of their cash smuggling and money laundering operations.
According to Mexico’s Central Bank, Banxico, more than $63 billion in remittances were sent to Mexico in 2023, with over 96% of the money sent from the United States.
“Mexico-based cartels can produce an endless supply. No matter how much fentanyl we seize, they can make more,” said David Olesky, Acting Special Agent in Charge for DEA’s Rocky Mountain Field Division.
“The only thing they care about is their money. This interagency operation intends to target the networks and seize their assets through building stronger relationships with the private sector financial community.”
Law enforcement officials hope to stem the tide, though it is an uphill battle.
“Rocky Mountain HIDTA-supported task forces seized almost 9.8 million dosage units of fentanyl last year—a 50% increase over the previous year," said Rocky Mountain HIDTA Executive Director Keith Weis.
“Operation Cash Out is an important strategy because working with money service businesses throughout the region will help law enforcement potentially identify and seize illegal profits gained from fentanyl distribution.
"It can ultimately disrupt the most significant drug trafficking organizations impacting our Rocky Mountain communities.”
