Illicit Fentanyl

Fentanyl remains the leading cause of overdose deaths in the U.S., with DHS at the forefront of efforts to intercept the deadly drug at borders and within the country. From 2021 to 2024, DHS and its partners seized nearly 161,000 pounds of fentanyl and precursor chemicals, along with thousands of pill presses and related equipment. While agencies like CBP and HSI have launched operations, deployed technology, and built partnerships to disrupt trafficking networks, GAO found that DHS lacks a comprehensive program to measure how effective these efforts truly are. Strengthening data collection and performance goals would help DHS gauge progress and improve strategies to combat this ongoing crisis.