ICYMI: Cantwell Statement on Fentanyl Trafficking Bust

ICYMI: Cantwell Statement on Fentanyl Trafficking Bust

Cantwell recently introduced bill to create first-ever inspection strategies to help stop drug smuggling across all modes of transportation

EDMONDS, WA - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released the following statement on the fentanyl trafficking bust in Western Washington:

"Tonight's announcement of the indictments against a violent criminal ring peddling fentanyl is welcome news. Tracking fentanyl in every mode of transportation like in our airports is critical to stopping the movement of this deadly drug because it helps expose local distribution rings. All of the Pacific Northwest should applaud the massive amount of federal, state, and local law enforcement work and coordination that led to these indictments and arrests," said Sen. Cantwell.

Sen. Cantwell has traveled across the State of Washington hearing from people in 10 communities on the front lines of the fentanyl crisis, including first responders, law enforcement, health care providers, and people with firsthand experience of fentanyl addiction. She's using what she heard in those roundtables to craft and champion specific legislative solutions, including:

• The Stop Smuggling Illicit Synthetic Drugs on U.S. Transportation Networks Act, which would create first-ever inspection strategies to stop drug smuggling by commercial aircraft, railroads, vehicles, and ships. The legislation would boost state, local, and tribal local law enforcement resources; deploy next generation non-intrusive detection technologies; and increase inspections at ports of entry. Sen. Cantwell held a press conference with law enforcement officers and local officials in Spokane on this legislation last week.
• The Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act, which would which would direct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award grants to states, units of local government, law enforcement task forces, and tribes to adopt and implement an overdose data collection program.
• The Fatal Overdose Reduction Act, which would expand an evidence-based, low-barrier fentanyl treatment pilot program across the United States; and
• The Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act, which would require that all pill presses be engraved with a serial number and impose penalties for the removal or alteration of the number.

Sen. Cantwell's other legislative actions to fight fentanyl include cosponsoring the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, a new law enacted earlier this year that will help U.S. government agencies disrupt opioid supply chains by imposing sanctions on traffickers and fighting money laundering.

In addition, in March 2024, Sen. Cantwell voted for a series of federal funding bills allocating $1.69 billion to combat fentanyl and other illicit drugs coming into the United States, including an additional $385.2 million to increase security at U.S. ports of entry, with the goal of catching more illegal drugs like fentanyl before they make it across the border. Critical funding will go toward Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology at land and sea ports of entries. NII technologies-like large-scale X-ray and Gamma ray imaging systems, as well as a variety of portable and handheld technologies-allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to help detect and prevent contraband from being smuggled into the country without disrupting flow at the border. The funding breakdown includes:

• $201 million for construction and infrastructure activities for drive-through NII deployment;
• $75.5 million for the Fentanyl Initiative for NII at ports of entry and for labs at eight ports of entry;
• $65.3 million to procure and deploy new NII detection devices;
• $14.4 million to procure advanced Computed Tomography scanners for deployment to mail and courier facilities;
• $12.6 million for artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities; and
• $12.1 million for system integration that brings together the use of the scanning, machine learning and other customs data.

Sen. Cantwell also cosponsored and helped advance the TRANQ Research Act of 2023, which President Joe Biden signed into law last year. That measure will spur more research into xylazine and other novel synthetic drugs, by directing the National Institute of Standards and Technology to tackle these issues.

A full timeline of Sen. Cantwell's actions to combat the fentanyl crisis is available HERE.

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