Terrell County officials discuss Greg Abbott’s executive order
The executive order designates cartels as terrorists in the state of Texas.
TERRELL COUNTY, Texas (KOSA) - Yesterday, Governor Greg Abbott made an executive order designating cartels as terrorists in the state of Texas.
This decision comes after the rise in deaths from Fentanyl brought across the southern border by cartel members
The DEA classifies Fentanyl as a man-made drug that is 50 times more powerful than heroin and 100 times more powerful than morphine.
The DEA also reports fentanyl is the leading cause of death in the United States of America for those between 18 and 45.
Terrell County Sherriff Thadeus Cleveland agrees with the executive order Governor Abbott signed yesterday declaring cartels working in Texas as a terrorist organization
Thaddeus told CBS7, “They’re weapons and when I say weapons, I’m not talking about firearms their weapons are fentanyl and meth. They’re dangerous drugs, they’re able to cause a diversion to occupy border patrol agents by having to handle these large groups while they smuggle their weapons, these drugs. "
Fentanyl poisoning can happen even if a person doesn’t think they’re taking the drug.
Sometimes it’s disguised to look like your normal pain killer or it’s laced into cocaine or marijuana.
It can also be disguised as something as simple as a PEZ candy
CBS7 also spoke to Terrell County Judge, Dale Carruthers who said, “Fentanyl can be disguised to look like sidewalk chalk that children will play with, Fentanyl comes in colors that look like something that would be like a PEZ candy or some kind of candy. Fentanyl can be discussed in a variety of ways.”
Last week Cleveland was in Washington DC where he spoke at an event for lost voices of Fentanyl... he says the event was powerful.
“They look like you or me, they’re parents, just like parents that attend football games. With these kids being poisoned by the fentanyl and my other narcotics they look like my kids. It’s not your typical person abusing drugs, these are just regular people that are using different apps on their phone like Snapchat to get a Percocet or a pain killer that they think is for a toothache and it’s lasted with fentanyl and killing them.”
Cleveland went on to say
“I met folks from all over the country and their lives were very similar to the way we live out here in west texas. hearing their stories was heartbreaking because their kids are not different than our kids. It made me think of what ways to expand the message out here in West Texas”
Abbott also sent a letter to President Biden and Vice President Harris demanding that they classify Mexican drug cartels operating in Texas as terrorist organizations.
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