Fentanyl epidemic met with force as California DOJ ramps up arrests and major drug busts
California – California Attorney General Rob Bonta recently stood side by side with local and federal law enforcement to reiterate his commitment to fighting the state’s fentanyl crisis. Bonta, along with Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper, Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire, and other law enforcement partners, held a press conference to emphasize how important it is for everyone to work together to fight what has become one of the deadliest drug epidemics in the area.
The California Department of Justice (DOJ) continues to concentrate on fighting fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that continues to cause a huge amount of damage to communities. Since the start of 2025, state and local law enforcement have taken more than 15 million fentanyl pills and almost 6,800 pounds of fentanyl powder. Over 500 people have been arrested on fentanyl-related crimes in the same time period, as police step up their efforts to catch traffickers and distributors.
“Today, I want to remind Californians that our work will continue until illicit fentanyl stops destroying lives,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta.
“We will continue to collaborate with local, state, and federal law enforcement wherever possible. We’ll investigate traffickers, disrupt trafficking networks, and continue to prevent overdose deaths by taking illicit fentanyl off of our streets. Those who bring this poison into the state can expect to be prosecuted and held accountable for the death and devastation they’ve caused. We are extremely thankful to all our Greater Sacramento area law enforcement partners standing on the frontlines with us to battle this epidemic.”
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Thien Ho, the Sacramento County District Attorney, talked about a regional approach that is working. Law enforcement has concentrated on bringing drug dealers accountable and teaching the public about the dangers of fentanyl through the Sacramento area’s specialized task force, SACFORCE. Ho says that this combination of strict enforcement and outreach has led to fewer fentanyl-related deaths in the Sacramento area.
“This combined approach is working in Sacramento, and we will continue to keep fentanyl deaths on a downward trend,” Ho said.
Veteran Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper echoed those concerns, describing fentanyl as “the deadliest drug I have ever seen” in his three decades in law enforcement. Sheriff Cooper called for stronger measures, saying, “The social experiment of allowing this deadly poison to flow freely has failed – and now it’s time to take action, with more than just words.”
Morgan Gire, the District Attorney for Placer County, talked about how aggressive prosecution and community outreach had saved lives in his own area. Gire stressed that his agency is entirely committed to going after traffickers and supporting education efforts to keep people safe. He said this is possible because they work closely with both state and federal partners.
The California Department of Justice’s Fentanyl Enforcement Program (FEP), which was set up in 2022 with support from the state legislature and governor, supports the coordinated approach. FEP has specialist teams working in important parts of California, such as San Diego, Los Angeles, Dublin, and Sacramento. Their main goal is to find, investigate, and break up significant trafficking networks.
The recent efforts launched by the DOJ show how big and important California’s fight against fentanyl is. In March, a big drug investigation in Los Angeles led to the arrest of three prominent traffickers and the recovery of fentanyl worth around $55 million. More operations at the California-Mexico border and in San Diego County have led to arrests and major seizures, which have further stopped the flow of fentanyl into the state.
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Leaders in law enforcement say the fight keeps going on, but with a strong commitment and a coordinated approach, there is hope that California can keep lowering fentanyl deaths and keep its people safe from this deadly epidemic.
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