Erik Nasarenko, James Fryhoff, Salud Carabajal, Dr. Sevet Johnson, John Savrnoch and Bill Brown addressed the Fentanyl epidemic. Photos by Richard Lieberman
by Richard Lieberman
Headed to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed the Carabajal-Bice bill part of defense policy legislation contains a measure affirming illicit drug trafficking as a national security threat which will increase federal attention on this deadly opioid. Passage of this bill will provide more resources and aid to help in fighting this out-of-control epidemic.
Eric Nasarenko, Ventura County District Attorney and Santa Barbara District Attorney John Savrnoch, along with Ventura County Sheriff James Fryhoff, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, and Ventura County CEO Dr. Sevet Johnson joined forces to address the epidemic and slow down the flow of fentanyl from Mexico to the U.S. The bill is currently awaiting signature from President Joe Biden and is titled the “Disrupt Fentanyl Trafficking Act” the legislation leverages the tools of the Department of Defense and involves Mexico as an active partner in disrupting drug cartel and trafficking activities.
Top law enforcement officials of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties emphasized the impact that fentanyl has had on the central coast. “This fentanyl scourge that we are facing requires a full court press,” said Ventura County Sheriff James Fryhoff. The bipartisan measure, co authored by Congressman Salud Carbajai D-Santa Barbara is part of a $886 billion defense policy plan that has been approved by the House and Senate and is waiting to be signed by President Joe Biden. The bill emphasizes the fentanyl crisis as a national security threat and calls on the U.S Department of Defense to produce strategies to target and disrupt trafficking of synthetic opioids. “The details of the plan are not formulated, and there will be limits,” Carbajal said. The first draft of the bill concentrated on surveillance and efforts to interrupt the flow of fentanyl from Mexico to the U.S. The bill in its final form calls for more coordination and cooperation between the U.S. military and Mexico in disrupting criminal organizations involved in the illicit import of the opioid into the United States.
“The Central Coast of California has been devastated by the scourge of Fentanyl on our streets, with some areas seeing a 700% spike in overdose deaths in recent years”. Said Carbajal. Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans Aged 18-45 and an estimated 196 Americans are dying every day due to the opioid. This new act will strengthen efforts by law enforcement to combat the problem. Specifically, the act will declare fentanyl trafficking a national security threat stemming from cartels and smugglers, directing the pentagon to develop a fentanyl specific counter-drug strategy, requiring the secretary of defense to increase security cooperation with the Mexican military and address coordination efforts between the military and federal law enforcement agencies.
In a press briefing with Carbajal on Wednesday December 20th law enforcement leaders from Ventura and Santa Barbara counties conveyed hope for the plan to slow down the flow of the drug from China and Mexico into the central coast.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko stated, “More than three individuals die each and every week in Ventura County.” He added Fentanyl crime has exploded too with 676 filings by prosecutors this year.” He also noted that in 2019 there were eighteen incidents involving fentanyl.”
The press briefing also stressed that dosage levels vary dramatically from pill to pill in the same supply becoming a lethal dose quickly. Other drugs are frequently spiked with fentanyl, and drug users often are unaware that their drug of choice has been spiked with fentanyl and could be lethal.
“The days when people could convince themselves that a recreational drug is safe are long gone,” said Fryhoff. Anything can contain fentanyl, he added “One pill can kill.”
