SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Fentanyl has become the second drug of choice for users in Tijuana, according to Baja California’s Security Secretary.
Leopoldo Tizoc Aguilar Durán also says fentanyl has become the second most confiscated drug behind methamphetamine.
“We as an agency have been seizing major loads of fentanyl in the last four to five months compared to last year,” he said.
However, he also stated that in the last few weeks, they are seeing fewer busts and wonders if drug organizations are changing their routes or if demand for the drug might be decreasing.
“We can’t discard any theories, we’ll just continue working to confiscate more of the drug,” said Aguilar. “Recently there was a very important bust in San Diego with this type of drug, which tells us there’s still big demand for it in the market and this is an ongoing problem.”
Baja’s security secretary also said the use of fentanyl has become more prevalent because many Americans are now going to Tijuana to use or buy it, as it is less expensive south of the border.
“The drug is more expensive when you send it to the other side of the border, this was the same for marijuana when it was harder to find, now it’s fentanyl,” Aguilar said.
The state’s health secretary, Adrián Medina Amarillas, said they don’t have statistics showing how many people treated for overdose had used fentanyl because many hospitals don’t have enough “test strips.”
“Before, the most used narcotics were meth and cocaine, less lethal drugs than fentanyl, but the problem with fentanyl is on the rise and we need to deal with this before it becomes the most popular drug of use,” he said.