Federal agents at the southern border between ports of entry in Arizona just seized enough fentanyl to kill more than 450 million people. The detrimental amount of deadly drugs were seized in operations which occurred from March 6 to May 8 at four ports of entry and two checkpoints.

The Center Square reports Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations-Tucson Field Office agents working through “Operation Blue Lotus,” and Border Patrol Tucson and Yuma Sector agents working through “Operation Four Horsemen” seized substantial amounts of methamphetamine and over a ton of fentanyl.

With two milligrams considered a lethal dose, one ton of fentanyl, or 2,000 pounds, is enough to kill 453,592,400 people. As a result of agents’ efforts, county attorneys are prosecuting alleged offenders and nine cases were referred for federal prosecution.

Chief Patrol Agent of the Yuma Sector Patricia McGurk-Daniel said, “The success of the Four Horsemen operation was due to the collaborative efforts and teamwork of multiple agencies.” She said she was “especially proud of the Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents who worked tirelessly during this operation to take deadly drugs off our streets and out of the communities we proudly serve.”

The operations’ success was “attributed to the federal, state and local partners that spent countless hours not just by responding to port calls but assisting HSI with seizures throughout Arizona,” Department of Homeland Security Investigations Arizona Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown said when announcing the bust. “Drugs, but especially fentanyl, are decimating communities. But together and with education, we all can make a significant impact in curbing the senseless deaths associated with the sale of these deadly drugs,” he said.

As law enforcement agents have explained to The Center Square, people and drugs are smuggled north into the U.S.; weapons, cash and other contraband are smuggled south.

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