California has seized more than $506 million worth of illicit fentanyl since 2021, according to an announcement by Governor Gavin Newsom on February 2, 2026.
The seizures stem from a strategy launched by the governor in 2021 that expanded California’s border drug-interdiction operations and redirected the California National Guard (CalGuard) toward fentanyl trafficking enforcement, according to a statement from Newsom’s office.
CalGuard personnel were assigned to support drug trafficking investigations, search-and-seizure operations, and intelligence-driven enforcement at ports of entry, according to the release. The effort is backed by a $30 million state investment.
CalGuard personnel assigned to the state’s Counter Drug Task Force supported the seizure of 34,357 pounds of fentanyl, including more than 50 million lethal pills, before the drugs could reach California.
California has seized half a billion dollars worth of illicit fentanyl at the border since 2021.
That’s 34,000+ lbs of fentanyl taken down through our expanded @TheCalGuard Counter Drug Task Force operations — stopping it from ever reaching our communities. pic.twitter.com/ulqAysRKST
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) February 2, 2026
“Fentanyl is killing Californians every day — and we are meeting this crisis with action, not rhetoric,” Newsom said.
Fentanyl is primarily smuggled into the country by U.S. citizens through ports of entry, according to state officials. Even small amounts, as little as two milligrams, can be lethal depending on an individual’s size, tolerance, and prior use.
One pound of fentanyl can contain an estimated 225,000 lethal doses, according to the statement.
Fentanyl is often mixed into illicit drugs to increase potency and sold as powders, nasal sprays, or pressed into counterfeit pills. It is also commonly combined with heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, significantly increasing the risk of overdose.
State officials said California began a focused effort in 2021 to stop traffickers at the border and along major transportation corridors, citing reductions in drug distribution and criminal activity.
The $30 million state investment expands the Guard’s drug interdiction efforts and bolsters coordination with High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area programs.
California’s approach is “focused, lawful, and effective,” unlike “recent chaotic federal crackdowns and politically motivated military deployments,” Newsom said in the statement.
“The integration of dedicated state funding alongside our federal resources is a force multiplier, allowing us to surge personnel to critical ports of entry and deepen our support for our law enforcement partners,” said Major General Beevers, Adjutant General of the California Military Department.
The state’s investment also ensures that CalGuard prioritizes protecting communities from illicit drugs and disrupting criminal organizations, he added.
In 2025, Governor Newsom increased the number of CalGuard personnel deployed to interdict drugs at ports of entry along the border by nearly 50%, according to the release.
As part of the state’s Public Safety Plan, in 2023 the governor announced the largest-ever investment to fight organized retail crime in California’s history, an annual 310% jump in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime, and special operations across the state to improve public safety and fight crime.
The successful drug interdiction efforts were disrupted when President Donald Trump “illegally removed” CalGuards from this mission and the Joint Task Force Rattlesnake wildfire mission, the release said.
“After the Guard was returned to state control, Governor Newsom moved quickly to restore these operations and get service members back to protecting Californians,” the statement from the Newsom’s office noted.
What else did Gavin not do?
I thought this comment was sarcastic, pointing fun at all the saps who cry every day here about Newsom not doing anything. Then, I clicked Reply only to find it’s one of those very trolls with Newsom Jealousy Syndrome. NJS as I will call it.
So tell us, “ANON,” how did Gavin lead during the decrease of fentanyl and still somehow “not do it” while he directed the CA Nat Guard to assist with stopping the flow of fentanyl across our border?
You people are so sick with hate for him that you will ignore cold hard facts the same as you do to support a rapist pedophile protector. When GT says MAGA is the scum of the earth, I don’t think he/she is far off.
THANK YOU GAVIN! That’s what all of you should be saying.
Seizure occurred “before the drugs could reach California?” I’m guessing there will only be one person in CA that will identify anyone referring negatively to the clown as having “NJS.” Pathetic. Still trying desperately to follow Trumps footsteps to victory. Trump 2028.
You should really just move to Saudi Arabia, you’re clearly not a supporter of our system of government.
DUALCUCK – NJS, BDS, ODS, all the same thing. A bunch of hypocrisy from losers who support rape and pedophilia over country who are still crying about past presidents while clamoring and drooling out, “yOu hAVe tDs” anytime someone rightfully criticizes the actions of the CURRENT president.
Nothing more repulsive to me than people who not only have no self awareness, but think they’re clever about it.
Now to the meats and bones here. You complain Newsom had no hand in this because the drugs were seized before reaching CA (meaning at the border or south of it in case your pudding is still cold up there). Funny, as you also cheered for Trump as he bombed small boats and killed people thousands of miles away from our border claiming, WITHOUT EVIDENCE, that drugs were aboard. Not only where these “drugs” never even close to any US border, they were NEVER SEIZED and therefore, never proven to even be real.
So yes, muffin, you DO have NJS. You’re jealous of his looks, his success and his intelligence, of which you clearly have none. Heck, I’d be jealous too if I were an insecure, scared little man.
Now, go do your hair or something you can actually accomplish with some degree of success. I hope….
Small government MAGAcans have built a big government mass surveillance gestapo funded by the taxpayer to brutalize brown people over civil immigration matters. The same cult members defend child rape when it is committed by their leaders – while pretending to serve God and country – and posing as Christians. Your parents and grandparents screamed racial slurs at black kids trying to attend the same schools as the whites – bigotry is learned. No one is concerned about your feelings of the governor of California. Your voice doesn’t matter. You’ve shown what you are.
> Trump 2028
Sorry, but Melania isn’t eligible either.
[I’ve seen a lot of parodies of right wingers, but they’re never quite as clownish as you actually are]
They stopped it at the point of entry. Not outside jurisdiction. How freaking hard is it to use your AOL Mail CD to use your modem to connect to the “World Wide Web” and use Netscape Navigator to use “search terms”. The local kindergarten can send some students over to assist with navigating technolgy.
sac – A very weak response to my question, aka a non-response. Why were CA cops & the guard involved in if this seizure occurred before the drugs reached CA? I didn’t say “Newsom had no hand in this.” Just wondering what some people were doing working outside their jurisdiction, aka CA. I’ll continue to cheer Trump taking out anyone/anything involved in transporting drugs into the US whatever route they choose. Do you have evidence the cargo in the “fast boats” were not drugs? I didn’t think so. People can criticize Trump all they choose, I don’t get wrapped up about it. It’s their right and yours. Especially you. What are you going to do once Trump is gone? What is it, three years from now, or seven? For you, it’s just the one subject you continually hammer that has me wondering “why.” The subject of which you again refuse to answer my question about.
You’re unaware that law enforcement often travel outside of their jurisdictional borders to partner with other law enforcement?
DOOLALLY –
1) I did respond, you’re just not very good at reading. Here it is again: “You complain Newsom had no hand in this because the drugs were seized before reaching CA (meaning at the border or south of it in case your pudding is still cold up there).” That means, now really think hard here, but don’t hurt yourself…. If drugs are stopped at the border, they are SEIZED BEFORE REACHING CA. Think about that. Now think again. Read it out loud if it helps. Oh heck, I’ll just explain it to you. If drugs are seized AT THE BORDER, they are seized BEFORE REACHING CA. So…. what’s you gripe with that? Isn’t that EXACTLY what you crybabies want?
2) “Do you have evidence the cargo in the “fast boats” were not drugs?” – The burden of proof is on YOU, don’t be a coward like your idol and deflect. There’s no way of knowing what was on those boats since they never actually stopped and searched one, nor did they take any survivors in for questions. Oh oops…. they DID! Oh yeah though… they released them without charges. I wonder why? Why would they have 2 evil “narco terrorists” in their custody after bombing their boat and NOT CHARGE them? WHY? I’d like an answer to that one. Can you proffer some explanation? Of course not. That would mean admitting your whole life is a lie. But go ahead, I dare you.
3) “I’ll continue to cheer Trump taking out anyone/anything involved in transporting drugs into the US whatever route they choose.” – LOL no you won’t.
Did you “cheer” when he released a man convicted of importing almost ONE MILLION POUNDS of cocaine into our schools and communities to “shove up the noses of the gringos?” Yes or no?
Did you “cheer” when he released a man convicted of running an online drug network that poisoned and killed thousands of people including children? Oh wait, his mom paid Trump some money. So, did you cheer or not? Yes or no?
Look, as always, you’ve been had. I’d LOVE it though if you had the stones to engage and actually answer these questions. So far, NONE of you MAGAts have risen to the challenge of questioning your undying and unbridled love for a rapist pedophile that you worship.
You man enough to step up? BASIC isn’t. CHUFF isn’t. STEVE isn’t. KAPOSER can’t.
We’ll see….
DOOLS – trust me, I have a response but for some reason it won’t post yet…
What “one subject” are you saying I refuse to answer? What I will do once Trump is gone? Answer: After I’m done rejoicing is disappearance from our planet, I’ll still continue to call out liars and bigots like you and your chums here. I’ll continue to go out and protest against the abuse of the rights of others. This isn’t just about Trump. There are MANY more in GOP leadership who would do much worse if they could. No rest until evil is purged.
That should answer your “question” that you never really asked yet demand an answer for.
> A very weak response to my question
Would you like a count of the number of questions you have been asked and never answered?
Look: you’re a fundamentally dishonest person with no intellectual integrity whatsoever. No one owes you a response to your questions that are ALWAYS asked in bad faith.
Gavin is a political clown. I won’t thank him for anything. You go ahead thank him for whatever you want. List the thankfulness here so we can all see what you truly are thankful for, and then we can see what you think. We’ll wait for it.
Go ask the folks down south that got burnt out of their homes and their whole communities over a year ago how much they like Gavin. They’ve all moved out and most have absolutely no idea when they can come back to their neighborhoods because they still are getting held up by CA red tape. Nice.
Is he Newsome or Newsom? Answer – who gives a F. No one’s cares.
The President YOU voted for to protect the Epstein files, make a mockery of our constitutional rights, and to militarize federal law enforcement against brown people. Don the con showed up when LA was smoldering for a photo op. When the engine of a car isn’t working, you don’t start with the rip on the upholstery. It must be painful to be so ignorant.
BASIC – you’re not smart enough to know that he’s done EXACTLY what you voted for a rapist to do: stop drugs at our borders.
Sounds like you’re just mad and jealous of his prowress.
Really? Not one single thing? Sounds like obsessive oppositional disorder. I mean, I can point to at least one thing that Trump has done that I approve of.
BASIC is binary. He/she sees the world as all or nothing, 0% or 100%, black or white, with absolutely zero room for middle ground. It how most of these uneducated, meme regurgitating MAGAts live their lives.
“List the thankfulness here so we can all see what you truly are thankful for, and then we can see what you think. We’ll wait for it.”
Uh BASIC….. I mean I know reading is hard for you, but we LITERALLY list what we thank him for almost every day here. Did you not read my comment?
Yes, “we think” stopping drugs from entering our country is a good thing and we’re thankful for it. Why are you not thankful for drugs being seized as opposed to being used by our children? I mean, is that a doctor thing? I guess so, as you are totally ok with Trump releasing actual drug dealers from prison.
Why don’t you explain (as you demand everyone else does) why you aren’t thankful for drugs being seized before getting into our communities? Can you? Do you know what those words mean in that order?
These fools didn’t understand a word of the article and apparently don’t know what a port of entry is.
It should not matter if the removal of drugs from our streets and communities was brought about by the policies/policing by Gov. Newsom or President Trump. We should focus on the end results and not simply on a particular political persuasion. Let’s be happy that at least someone is doing something about this major problem. If we do that, then we all can move forward to a bigger and brighter future….the negativity thing is so “yesterday.”
Bend those knees and pump out more mishmash!