United States Drug Enforcement Administration

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Special agents and task force officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Field Division seized 170,617 fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and 177.76 kilograms of fentanyl powder since January 1, 2025.  The DEA Laboratory estimates that these seizures represent nearly 89 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl.  Two milligrams of fentanyl is considered to be a potentially lethal dose. 

“I’m very proud of our efforts; but as long as fentanyl remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45, we still have a lot of work to do,” said Jim Scott, special agent in charge of the DEA’s Louisville Field Division.  “While the number of fentanyl-related deaths is trending downward, fentanyl is still the greatest drug threat facing America right now, and no community has been spared from its devastating effects.  We’ve all been touched by this in one way or another.”

Two Mexican drug cartels—the Sinaloa and Jalisco (CJNG) Cartels—are primarily responsible for producing the fentanyl trafficked into America.  The drug is mass-produced at secret factories in Mexico with chemicals sourced from China.

In an effort to intensify its fight against the deadly threat of synthetic opioids, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration recently launched Fentanyl Free America, a comprehensive enforcement initiative and public awareness campaign aimed at reducing both the supply and demand for fentanyl. This effort underscores DEA's unwavering commitment to protecting American lives and communities from the devastating impacts of fentanyl, which claimed nearly 50,000 lives last year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Fentanyl Free America represents DEA’s heightened focus on enforcement, education, public awareness, and strategic partnerships. The goal of the campaign is clear: eliminate the fentanyl supply fueling the nation’s deadliest drug crisis. Since 2021, synthetic opioids have claimed nearly 325,000 American lives. 

The Fentanyl Free America campaign also emphasizes the importance of public engagement.  DEA encourages everyone from community leaders, clergy, educators, parents, physicians, pharmacists, and law enforcement to take an active role in raising awareness by protecting others through education; preventing fentanyl poisonings by understanding the dangers; and supporting those impacted.  Free resources including posters, radio advertising, billboards, and social media resources are available at dea.gov/fentanylfree.  

DEA’s efforts are part of a larger whole-of-government strategy to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and protect U.S. communities from fentanyl.