Most fentanyl is manufactured abroad and smuggled into the US, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Here are the facts:
- Between January and August 2025, authorities seized 6,873 pounds of fentanyl at US borders, 52% less than the same period of 2024. In August, officials confiscated 755 pounds, down 45% from the month prior.
- Most fentanyl is found and seized from vehicles driven by US citizens at official ports of entry, according to a 2023 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report. Between January and August 2025, 78% of all confiscated fentanyl was intercepted at official entry points along the nation’s Southwest border.
- When it comes to drug seizures, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) only reports on fentanyl and heroin, and the share of heroin smuggling has declined while fentanyl has risen. According to US Customs and Border Protection, fentanyl accounted for about 32% of opioid seizures by weight in 2019, while heroin was 68%. By 2024, the shares had more than reversed, with fentanyl comprising 94%.
- DHS says the reported figures underrepresent the total amount of drugs trafficked into the country since data on drug seizures at borders reflects only the quantities CBP discovers.
