- DEA's Rocky Mountain Field Division shattered 2025 fentanyl and meth seizure records.
- Nearly 2 million fentanyl pills were seized, doubling Utah's 2024 figures.
- DEA aims to eliminate fentanyl nationwide, noting Mexican cartels as primary suppliers.
SALT LAKE CITY — The top brass of the Rocky Mountain Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration says fentanyl and meth seizures in 2025 didn't just break records, they were shattered.
"We doubled the pill seizure, which is pretty alarming that there's that much fentanyl in the state of Utah," said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Miguel Chino.
Nearly 9 million fentanyl pills and 3,000 pounds of methamphetamine were seized by the DEA's Rocky Mountain Field Division last year. The division is comprised of Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.
In Utah, 2 million fentanyl pills were seized last year compared to 1 million in 2024, according to the DEA. That's in addition to 637 pounds of meth and approximately 175 pounds of cocaine.
The agency seized the most drugs in Colorado, including 6.7 million fentanyl pills — a 76% increase from 2024 — and more than 2,200 pounds of meth.
Nationwide, the DEA says it seized about 47 million fentanyl pills during 2025.
Those numbers don't include seizures made by local agencies such as the Davis Metro Narcotics Strike Force, the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force and Salt Lake Metro Narcotics.
"Which is even more alarming because these other agencies out there are seizing incredible numbers of fentanyl powder and pills also," Chino said.
Andrew Adams, KSLHe also noted that his federal agency works well with state and local partners.
"The goal always is that we're all working together for the same goal. So any time the DEA can team up, we're always willing to do that," he said.
Because of the DEA's efforts, Chino said approximately 3 out of every 10 fentanyl pills now seized by the DEA could potentially be fatal, compared to 7 out of 10 in 2023.
"That number has been reduced to about 30%, so 3 out of 10 pills. So if you're looking at the number of lives that were saved just with seizing 2 million pills is huge. I mean, that's close to 600,000 lives potentially saved by seizing fentanyl off the streets like that," he said.
While there are still cases of unsuspecting victims purchasing what they believe to be painkillers off the street that are laced with fentanyl, the DEA says that trend has changed. Now, the majority of fentanyl pills are marketed and sold exactly as advertised to addicts.
When asked if the record busts are the result of more attention being given to fentanyl or if there's been a substantial increase in the amount of fentanyl being trafficked in Utah, Chino said, "I think it's a little of both."
In October, the DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division launched "Operation Fentanyl Free America."
"The goal for me … is eliminating fentanyl from the state of Utah. But DEA, in whole, their goal is to eliminate it from the United States," he said.
Chino said the vast majority of fentanyl is coming from cartels in Mexico, which typically get the precursors for making the drug from China.
