Fox's first appearance: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis praised law enforcement's efforts Thursday after Florida authorities successfully seized a large quantity of 15,000 pills disguised as OxyContin, saying they are “hunting down” fentanyl traffickers. ” he promised.
“Fentanyl flowing across our southern border is a direct result of the Biden border crisis, and we will not allow fentanyl to take the lives of innocent people in Florida,” DeSantis told Fox News Digital.
“In the state of Florida, we will go after those who bring fentanyl into our communities and endanger lives,” said DeSantis, who is running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. “We are grateful to our officers who continue to put the safety of our communities first and arrest criminals.”
His comments came after the Florida Highway Patrol Criminal Interdiction Unit arrested a suspect and seized drug paraphernalia in Osceola County on Thursday.
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Republican presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis addresses guests during a campaign rally at the Thunderdome on December 2, 2023 in Newton, Iowa. The Iowa Republican Party will caucus on January 15, 2024, and will be the first to select the party's presidential nominee. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The state said troopers stopped a white Mercedes that was driving recklessly and pursued it at speeds of more than 100 mph, crashing into other vehicles and driving on the wrong side of the highway. The driver, Jonathan Nicola, caused the accident and was taken into custody for a traffic violation.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers found a loaded handgun, drug paraphernalia and 15,000 pills in a vacuum-sealed bag. The vehicle was determined to have been stolen. Nicola has since been charged with drug trafficking and possession, vehicle and weapons charges.
Illegal fentanyl is typically manufactured in Mexico using precursors from China and then transported across the U.S. border. Most seizures occur at ports of entry, but authorities have warned of fentanyl being smuggled between ports and a history of overwhelming Border Patrol agents dealing with historic immigration crises.
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January 12, 2024: Florida law enforcement seizes 15,000 fentanyl pills.
The Florida Department of Highways said, “Despite the unabated flow of fentanyl into our nation through our open southern border, state troopers wake up every day and are willing to take on these dangerous conditions. “We can put ourselves in prison and put the bad guys behind bars.” Dave Kerner, Executive Director of Safe Vehicles, said in a statement.
“Despite the profits that drug cartels reap from open borders, the Florida Highway Patrol remains committed to fulfilling the mission Governor DeSantis has given us: keeping our communities safe and fighting cartel-led scourges.” “We will never back down from our mission to fight back,” he said.
over 107,000 overdose deaths As of 2021, 75% involved opioids, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The drug is 50 times stronger than heroin, so even small amounts can be deadly, and it is often mixed with or passed off as other drugs. Because it's a drug, users don't know they're taking fentanyl.
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The Biden administration has attributed the increase in drug seizures to improvements in testing and technology at ports of entry, and says more funding is needed. But Republicans say the increase is due to an increase in attempts as a result of the border crisis, meaning more drugs could be getting through.
