Arizona is a battleground in the fight against fentanyl. The potent and terrible drug is responsible for countless overdose deaths across the state every year. It's no surprise that Arizona's close proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border has made it a hotbed for drug trafficking.

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The Common Sense Institute of Arizona reports the crisis costs the state around $58 billion annually. That price tag considers the cost of fatalities, opioid use disorder, hospitalizations, and the increasing cost of border security.

READ: Arizona Voters Want Something Done About the Border NOW

Record Breaking Fentanyl Seizure in Arizona

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Lukeville on Arizona's southern border reported a grim milestone recently.

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The agency reports that they seized approximately four million blue fentanyl pills weighing over 1,000 pounds. With over a ton of pills intercepted, this is the largest single fentanyl seizure in CBP history.

READ: Border Policy & Dangerous Chases Affect Arizona

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The Fentanyl Menace in Arizona

Every day, the Fentanyl menace takes a human toll on our children and loved ones. Just a few milligrams of the drug can be lethal, and it's far more potent than heroin or other street drugs.

Even more alarming, more than half of the fentanyl seized in the United States recently has been discovered in Arizona.

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Addicts are not the only victims of this powerful substance. In many cases, teens and young adults become unwitting victims when it's cut into other, less potent drugs. Fentanyl is cheap and plentiful, so drug dealers and manufacturers add it to other street drugs to maximize profits. A very small amount can be lethal.

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Customs and Border Patrol is working toward cutting off the supply of this drug at the source, but under the current federal border policies, it could be some time before things begin to change.

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