Mexico’s efforts to seize US-bound fentanyl drop sharply, while seizures of meth soar

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Even as Mexican-made fentanyl continues to flood into the United States, Mexico’s efforts to seize the drug have declined dramatically. Figures for the first half of 2024 show that Mexican federal forces seized only 286 pounds of fentanyl nationwide between January and June, down 94% from the 5,135 pounds seized in 2023. Mexico appears to have refocused its seizure efforts on methamphetamines, far more widely consumed in Mexico than fentanyl. Mexico seized over 400 tons of meth in 2023, about 12 times what it seized in 2023. That pace appeared to continue in the first half of 2024, with 168 tons seized.