Readout of President Joe Biden’s Briefing on Ongoing Work to Combat Illicit Fentanyl

Today, President Biden received a briefing on his Administration’s ongoing work to crack down on the deadly scourge of illicit fentanyl and other illicit drugs.  The President and his team discussed the successes to date: more seizures of illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids in the last two years than the previous five combined; the arrest and prosecution of dozens of high-level drug traffickers, cartel leaders, and money launderers; the sanctioning of over 300 entities and individuals involved in the global illicit drug trade; and the forging of historic counternarcotics cooperation with China and Mexico, and with more than 150 countries via the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats.  These efforts have led to the first decline in fentanyl overdose deaths in the homeland in five years.

The President and his team also discussed the significance of his new National Security Memorandum, in which the President directed his administration to do even more to work across Departments and Agencies to disrupt drug networks and increase the number of illicit drug seizures.  The President also directed his team to continue to do everything possible – including working closely with Congress – to shut down the supply chain for illicit fentanyl and save American lives.

President Biden was briefed by Attorney General Garland, Secretary Mayorkas, Director of National Intelligence Haines, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff Zients, Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff Reed, Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff Quillian, Assistant to the President and Homeland Security Advisor Sherwood-Randall, and Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor Daskal.

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