The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), standing as America’s first line of defense, is engaged in a relentless battle against the influx of illicit fentanyl. This dangerous drug, often trafficked across the Southwest border, demands innovative and robust countermeasures. Recognizing the severity of the threat, CBP has made substantial investments in cutting-edge technology and refined operational strategies to enhance border security and interdict fentanyl before it reaches communities.
CBP’s technological advancements are spearheaded by the deployment of advanced X-ray scanning systems at ports of entry. These systems dramatically increase the volume of vehicles and cargo that can be thoroughly inspected, improving both efficiency and detection rates. The investment includes:
- 123 large-scale drive-through X-ray systems: These systems, coupled with revised inspection protocols, are significantly accelerating vehicle and truck scanning rates along the Southwest border.
- 88 low-energy portals: Designed to safely scan passenger-occupied vehicles for hidden contraband.
- 35 multi-energy portals: Specifically for scanning commercially occupied vehicles, ensuring comprehensive coverage of trade and transport.
These technological enhancements are designed to create a formidable screening process, allowing CBP officers to scan a greater number of vehicles and shipments in less time. This increased throughput is crucial in identifying and intercepting fentanyl, its precursors, and the equipment used in its production, all while maintaining the flow of legitimate trade and travel. CBP projects full implementation of these systems by 2026, anticipating a significant leap in scanning capabilities. Personal vehicle scanning rates are expected to surge from a mere 1-2% to approximately 40%, while commercial vehicle scanning is projected to jump from 15-17% to over 70%.
While high-tech solutions form a critical part of CBP’s strategy, the agency also relies on a time-tested, low-tech yet remarkably effective method: canine detection teams. Specially trained dogs and their handlers provide an invaluable layer of security, utilizing their extraordinary sense of smell to detect hidden drugs.
“We initiated fentanyl-specific training for our canine teams in 2017,” stated Donna Sifford, Director of CBP’s Field Operations Canine Academy in Front Royal, Virginia. This expansion of canine capabilities makes CBP the sole federal agency currently training canines specifically to detect fentanyl, adding to their existing repertoire of detectable narcotics.
Given the extreme potency and danger of fentanyl, stringent safety protocols are paramount during both training and field deployment. CBP’s Laboratories and Scientific Services provides pharmaceutical-grade fentanyl training aids, meticulously packaged in triple-sealed, industrial-strength polyethylene bags. This specialized packaging allows canines to detect the scent while preventing any actual exposure to the hazardous substance. Safe handling procedures for these training aids are an integral part of the canine curriculum.
Canine instructors are equipped with comprehensive fentanyl response kits during training. These kits contain six doses of naloxone nasal spray, such as Narcan, a fast-acting antidote for opioid exposure, for both humans and dogs. Safety glasses, gloves, and other personal protective equipment are also standard issue. Furthermore, CBP has long emphasized passive response training for drug detection dogs. Instead of aggressively scratching or biting at a package, which could lead to accidental exposure, the dogs are trained to passively sit when they detect a scent, signaling the presence of narcotics safely.
CBP Officer Marcus Johnson training his canine partner Bear at the Field Operations Canine Academy. Photo by Phil Dolinger
“Whenever a canine alerts, we automatically assume it’s the most dangerous drug, be it fentanyl, methamphetamine, or another hazardous narcotic,” Sifford explained. “We immediately implement all safety protocols.” CBP extends its expertise beyond its own operations, also training domestic and international law enforcement partners in the safe and effective deployment of fentanyl detection canines, amplifying the global fight against this deadly drug.
Trade Enforcement: A Vital Line of Defense
Fentanyl and its precursors often infiltrate the U.S. through legitimate trade channels, including air cargo and express courier services. This complexity necessitates a multi-layered approach to interdiction, requiring not only border security but also robust trade enforcement strategies. CBP’s Office of Trade plays a crucial role in identifying and disrupting these illicit pathways.
Paul Taylor, an Office of Trade specialist, inspects packages at the JFK Mail Facility in New York during Operation Bitter Pill, a special operation that occurs every year at major international mail facilities designed to disrupt, seize, and gather information on violative shippers of counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs. Photo by Jesse Andrews
“We are analyzing supply chain vulnerabilities and scrutinizing various logistic operators to gain diverse perspectives,” said Erik Grotz, Director of the Office of Trade’s Trade Intelligence Division. He emphasized the use of advanced tools to enhance analysis and research, including those initially developed to combat forced labor goods, now repurposed to target fentanyl trafficking. Many chemicals and equipment used in fentanyl production have legitimate industrial applications, making it essential to discern between lawful and illicit imports. The Office of Trade focuses on identifying anomalies and suspicious patterns within the vast flow of goods to pinpoint shipments intended for illegal purposes.
“We are pinpointing data indicators in the movement of goods and people, aiming to expedite information analysis,” Grotz continued. This allows for the smooth flow of legitimate trade while simultaneously interdicting illicit shipments destined for criminal networks. CBP’s approach is to target multiple points within the illicit supply chain, leaving no avenue unexplored.
However, the exponential growth in trade volume, particularly small, low-value packages delivered directly to consumers, presents a significant challenge. The sheer volume of packages necessitates an increasingly sophisticated approach to identify illicit goods without impeding legitimate commerce. Transnational criminal organizations exploit the complexity and opacity of global supply chains to conceal their activities, constantly adapting their methods to evade detection. CBP, along with its law enforcement partners, must remain agile and innovative to stay ahead of these evolving threats.
John Everett, Director of Trade’s Advanced Trade Analytics Platform, explained, “We must identify the individuals involved and their networks. We analyze our data to determine their associates, preferred carriers, and delivery patterns to focus our enforcement efforts effectively.” The key challenge lies in rapidly piecing together disparate pieces of information to create a comprehensive picture of illicit activities. This requires seamless collaboration across all CBP offices, departments, and law enforcement agencies – a “whole-of-CBP” approach.
An Office of Trade specialist goes through boxes during Operation Bitter Pill at the JFK Mail Facility in New York. Photo by Jesse Andrews
“We are striving to shorten the analytical research cycle to swiftly identify high-value targets,” Everett stated. This proactive approach also involves fostering dialogue and partnerships with retailers and shippers, recognizing their crucial role in a secure and efficient trade ecosystem. Building trust and collaboration with the private sector is essential to enhance collective efforts against fentanyl trafficking. “We have a significant footprint in the industry,” Everett noted, emphasizing CBP’s role as a primary conduit for the trade community and its commitment to strengthening these vital partnerships.
Scientific Expertise: Unmasking the Source
CBP’s Office of Laboratories and Scientific Services provides another critical layer of defense, specializing in drug identification and origin analysis. In response to the fentanyl crisis, CBP has established 16 forward operating laboratories, augmenting the capabilities of its eight main state-of-the-art facilities across the U.S.
Scientists with CBP’s Laboratories and Scientific Services conduct drug testing at the Port of Memphis Forward Operating Laboratory. Photo by Jerry Glaser
“These forward operating labs enable us to analyze presumptive field results and confirm them within 24 hours,” explained Terra Cahill, Special Advisor in Laboratories and Scientific Services’ Chief Science Officer Division. This rapid turnaround, compared to previous delays of days or weeks, provides real-time intelligence to officers in the field. CBP’s in-house lab capabilities reduce reliance on external agencies, accelerating analysis and validating intelligence assessments. “We can verify other reporting and intel products in real-time,” Cahill added, highlighting the enhanced speed and accuracy of CBP’s scientific response.
CBP’s labs also participate in a joint fentanyl attribution program with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Samples are shared with these agencies for specialized analyses, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of each sample. This collaborative effort underscores CBP’s leadership in a whole-of-government approach to combatting fentanyl. “We bring experts together to understand fentanyl attribution and trace its origins,” Cahill stated. By linking seizures and analyzing patterns, the program aims to identify the sources and networks behind fentanyl smuggling operations.
Randall Phillips, who oversees forward operating labs in the Southeastern U.S., emphasizes their impact on ports handling express consignment shipments. Rapid analysis at these labs is crucial for timely interdiction, preventing delays that could alert traffickers or disrupt legitimate trade. “Expedited analysis is vital because delays can compromise law enforcement-controlled deliveries,” Phillips explained. The labs maintain scientific neutrality, ensuring unbiased and reliable data for intelligence analysts, leading to stronger investigations. “We approach each sample as an unknown, relying solely on scientific analysis,” Phillips affirmed.
Beyond traditional drug analysis, CBP employs advanced microscopic techniques, including palynology – the study of pollen – to trace the origin of seized materials.
Andrew Laurence a CBP palynologist – a pollen scientist – uses a forensic vacuum to take a pollen sample from a pair of pants. Photo by Shannon Ferguson
“Pollen is like a fingerprint for plants, unique to each species and region,” explained Andrew Laurence, a CBP palynologist. By analyzing pollen samples, scientists can determine the geographical origin and even the travel history of an object. The “pollen fingerprint” reveals not only origin but also potential transit routes and timeframes. Palynologists analyze the entire pollen profile, considering the types and quantities of pollen spores, to create a highly accurate trace. This microscopic analysis can even extend to vehicle air filters, revealing potential smuggling routes and enabling CBP to collaborate with international law enforcement. “It’s incredibly accurate, potentially pinpointing origins down to someone’s backyard,” Laurence stated, emphasizing the depth of information available through pollen analysis. Despite the sophistication of the technology, palynology remains a highly specialized, non-automated field requiring expert knowledge of vast pollen atlases and global pollen distribution. “Computers can’t do this,” Laurence emphasized, highlighting the crucial role of human expertise. Pollen analysis provides a unique piece of the puzzle, enhancing CBP’s overall interdiction efforts.
Eyes in the Skies: Air and Marine Support
CBP’s Air and Marine Operations (AMO) provides crucial aerial surveillance, extending law enforcement’s reach and situational awareness. Mike Linhares, an AMO air interdiction agent and pilot based in Bellingham, Washington, explained that standard aerial surveillance tactics are readily adapted to fentanyl interdiction.
“When fentanyl cases arise, we prioritize them, maximizing available assets to provide support,” Linhares stated. AMO utilizes planes, helicopters, and ground-controlled drones to provide real-time aerial observation, acting as “eyes in the sky” for ground-based agents. This aerial perspective is particularly valuable in detecting clandestine activities often designed to evade ground surveillance. “Our presence provides a crucial advantage, especially when targets attempt to avoid detection,” Linhares added. Infrared cameras on aircraft further enhance detection capabilities, identifying heat signatures and potential threats.
The intensified focus on fentanyl has strengthened collaboration between AMO and other CBP components, as well as local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement partners. “We continuously educate partners on our assets and capabilities,” Linhares emphasized, highlighting AMO’s proactive approach to building and maintaining strong interagency relationships to enhance overall law enforcement effectiveness.
Protecting the Front Line: Officer Safety
Recognizing the inherent dangers of fentanyl, CBP prioritizes the safety and well-being of its workforce. Assistant Chief Patrol Agent Gerardo Carrasco, CBP’s operational medical advisor, emphasized the agency’s commitment to equipping and training officers to mitigate fentanyl exposure risks. Protective measures, including gloves, masks, safe handling training, and Narcan availability, are integral to CBP’s operational protocols. CBP also actively addresses misconceptions surrounding fentanyl exposure.
“We provide comprehensive information, guidance, and education on fentanyl, its associated dangers, contamination prevention, and the proper use of personal protective equipment,” Carrasco stated. Resource cards, available in both physical and digital formats, outline safe handling procedures and protocols for potential exposure incidents. Despite initial public concerns, Carrasco clarified, “Early on, there was significant panic about exposures, but rarely was there evidence of actual, confirmed exposures.”
Shawn Carroll, CBP’s Office of Field Operations medical liaison, further explained that the diluted nature of most seized fentanyl, often mixed with cutting agents, reduces the risk of fatal exposure from incidental contact. “While exposure can cause effects like slowed breathing and drowsiness, it is unlikely to be fatal from casual contact,” Carroll stated. However, comprehensive training in post-exposure care remains crucial, extending beyond field officers to include office staff. Basic life-saving skills, taught agency-wide, are valuable in a range of emergency situations, both within and outside the workplace. “These skills are versatile, applicable to car accidents, shootings, cardiac events, and narcotic overdoses,” Carrasco noted.
Handheld chemical analyzers are another vital tool for officer safety. These devices utilize laser and infrared technologies to provide presumptive field identification of unknown substances without requiring direct contact.
“The laser technology allows for analysis through clear packaging, eliminating the need to open samples,” explained Natalie Underwood, a chemist with CBP’s Laboratories and Scientific Services INTERDICT Science Center. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy complements laser analysis, particularly for dark or fluorescent samples. Immunoassay test strips specific to fentanyl and its analogues offer an additional layer of presumptive identification. “It’s a comprehensive toolbox of identification tools,” Underwood summarized.
CBP’s narcotics reach-back capability further supports field officers. Data from handheld analyzers is transmitted for expert adjudication of uncertain results, providing rapid feedback within an hour. In fiscal year 2023, this system reviewed approximately 70,000 scans, with nearly 350 indicating the presence of fentanyl or its analogues. Forward operating labs and regional laboratories further confirmed thousands of fentanyl cases through more detailed forensic analysis. Underwood emphasized the importance of these technologies in building officer confidence and integrating them into routine operational procedures. Presumptive field testing provides immediate information, enhancing officer safety and informing handling protocols.
Watch Commander Robert Pagan, from the San Diego area, underscored the value of handheld scanners in enhancing officer safety and operational effectiveness. “While visual inspection can offer presumptions, scanners provide definitive confirmation of concealed substances, even through packaging,” Pagan stated. This confirmation is crucial for both officer safety and subsequent prosecution. The scanners enhance safety by allowing for non-invasive testing, minimizing exposure risks compared to traditional field test kits that require opening packages. Pagan highlighted the dependability and invaluable nature of these scanners for his personnel. “Our personnel are our most valuable asset, and investing in their safety is paramount to our agency’s success,” Pagan affirmed.
Agent Ramirez echoed the importance of handheld scanners in the field, emphasizing the real and daily threat of fentanyl. “These scanners make our job safer and easier, which is the most important thing. Our priority is team safety and ensuring everyone returns home safely at the end of the day,” Ramirez concluded.
An Updated Strategy: Sustained Vigilance
Building on the successes of surge operations, CBP has transitioned to a sustained, comprehensive strategy to combat the ongoing fentanyl threat. A dedicated working group, comprising experts from various CBP components, developed a new strategy to replace the 2018 opioid strategy, focusing specifically on the evolving fentanyl crisis.
“We aligned whole-of-CBP efforts under a shared priority, focusing on workforce and community safety, partnerships, and targeting the fentanyl supply chain,” explained Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Alfredo Lozano, the working group leader. The new strategy builds upon the safety-focused goals of the original opioid strategy, adding enhanced operational objectives targeting fentanyl production, trafficking, and distribution networks. This new counter-fentanyl strategy mandates continuous operations, replacing past surge deployments with a sustained, integrated approach. A reformed business model promotes inter-divisional cooperation and information sharing within CBP and streamlines collaboration with external law enforcement partners from seizure to prosecution. A single line-of-effort director now oversees counter-fentanyl operations, ensuring unified command and control.
“Fentanyl is a persistent threat,” stated the director of the counter fentanyl operations, Draganac. “Our strategy and organizational structure are designed for long-term, sustainable response.” Draganac emphasized CBP’s agility and adaptability in addressing evolving threats like fentanyl while maintaining its core mission of border security. “CBP’s rapid pivot to emerging threats demonstrates its organizational strength and responsiveness,” Draganac concluded.
Renewed Vigilance Against a Deadly Threat
CBP’s multi-faceted approach, combining technological innovation, specialized canine units, robust trade enforcement, scientific expertise, and aerial surveillance, demonstrates a comprehensive and evolving strategy to combat the deadly fentanyl threat. Coupled with a renewed emphasis on officer safety and interagency collaboration, CBP stands committed to protecting both its personnel and the American public from the devastating impact of this dangerous drug.
