Cartels Shift Strategy: Produce Drugs on American Soil
Federal operations this week show cartels increasingly producing drugs inside America rather than relying solely on smuggling. On 11/17/25, the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection seized roughly 1.7 million counterfeit fentanyl pills, weighing 436 pounds, plus 26 pounds of raw fentanyl powder from a Colorado storage facility. Evidence including chemical equipment, packaging materials, and residue testing confirmed the substances were processed domestically. On 11/18/25, a meth trafficking network was dismantled after smuggling 7,055 pounds hidden in produce; investigators recovered lab manuals, precursor chemicals, and partially processed meth, clearly showing local processing activity. Then on 11/19/25, the DEA, FBI, ICE, and HSI announced the largest meth seizure in Colorado history: over 1,000 pounds, with lab evidence showing domestic synthesis. Authorities say the operations were linked to cells of the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartels. Combined, the estimated street value exceeds $2.5 billion, highlighting the growing scale of domestic operations.
Authorities estimate 5,000 to 7,000 cartel-affiliated individuals operate in America, coordinating labs, storage, and distribution. Traffickers obtain precursors legally or smuggled from abroad, converting them into fentanyl powder, counterfeit pills, or meth. Fentanyl is often cut with xylazine, creating unpredictable potency. Synthetic opioids now contribute to over 110,000 overdose deaths annually, making drug overdoses the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. In some states, fentanyl accounts for more than 75 percent of deaths involving synthetic substances.
Producing drugs domestically avoids border checks, reduces transport costs, and meets demand quickly. This shift toward domestic production puts it in our backyards and swift action is essential to end this epidemic.
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