Gov. Newsom More Than Doubles CalGuard’s Counterdrug Task Force to Aid in Fentanyl Crack Down

Governor Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that he would be more than doubling the number of California National Guard (CalGuard) troops being deployed across the state and at the border, from 155 members to 392. The goal is to further crack down on the smuggling of illegal drugs like Fentanyl into the state.

In the past few years, Newsom has deployed more and more CalGuard troops into fighting against drugs coming into and being sold in California. Last year, Newsom directed CalGuard to be a part of a multi-agency operation in San Francisco to help local authorities fight against the trafficking and sale of fentanyl in the city. By December of 2023, the multi-agency operation, with CalGuard’s help, began to show significant progress in the seizure of fentanyl and other drugs. The operations CalGuard supported statewide resulted in the record seizure of 62,224 pounds of fentanyl in 2023, a 1066% increase since 2021.

At the same time, Newsom put more resources into CalGuard’s Counterdrug Task Force. In a May announcement, CalGuard said that, in March 2024 alone, the Counterdrug Task Force, with the help of state, local and federal partners, helped seize over 5,000 pounds of fentanyl and nearly 1.3 million fentanyl pills. Also in the announcement, they revealed that the taskforce had helped other agencies seize 7,100 pounds of fentanyl and more than 3.4 million fentanyl pills across California, including at ports of entry along the border.

“The CalGuard is committed to supporting our state, federal, local and tribal law enforcement partners to eliminate the scourge of fentanyl,” said CalGuard Major General Matthew Beevers last month. “The State’s unprecedented investment in our Counterdrug Task Force is delivering significant, measurable interdiction results, denying operating capital to transnational criminal organizations while making our state safer.”

“We are doubling the number of CalGuard members deployed to crack down on fentanyl smuggling,” said Newsom on X on Thursday. “This work will help take down transnational organizations & the illegal drugs they attempt to bring into our state—holding smugglers accountable & taking deadly drugs off our streets.”

We are doubling the number of @CalGuard members deployed to crack down on fentanyl smuggling.

This work will help take down transnational organizations & the illegal drugs they attempt to bring into our state—holding smugglers accountable & taking deadly drugs off our streets. pic.twitter.com/A1ocqs0jvU

— California Governor (@CAgovernor) June 13, 2024

Speaking from San Ysidro on the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday, Newsom added, “Our top priority is the safety of our communities statewide. By working with state, local, and federal partners to take down transnational organizations and the illegal drugs they attempt to bring into our state, the state’s Counter Drug Taskforce is making a profound difference to hold smugglers accountable and take deadly drugs off our streets.”

Beevers also noted that “Beginning in 2022, the CalGuard’s Counter Drug Taskforce deployed 30 servicemembers to the San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Tecate, and Calexico Ports of Entry to support our federal partners. Due to significant initial success, in 2023, we doubled our force across those Ports of Entry. Under Governor Newsom’s leadership and broad Congressional support, our Counter Drug Taskforce has grown from 155 full-time servicemembers to 392 today.”

Drug seizure experts told the Globe on Thursday that Newsom’s decision was largely the right one, as CalGuard’s track record on drug seizures has been proven in the last several years.

“This is a smart move by Newsom,” explained Randy Chavez, a former narcotics detective who helped coordinate with state and federal agencies for seizures on multiple occasions, to the Globe on Thursday. “Wherever CalGuard’s taskforce goes, they manage to shore up a lot of drugs, like fentanyl, in a small amount of time.

“And it’s needed. In San Francisco alone last year, over 800 fentanyl related deaths occurred. That’s more than 2 a day on average, and those are the ones that we know about. In most places in the state, it’s the most common overdose drug. And look how much was taken from a little more than 150 people.”

“Also, this is political too. This is an election year, and Newsom should have started doing this some time ago when they showed to be such a great asset. There is some red tape involved, but the problem has needed to be addressed. That said, Newsom is still doing it, so that’s something.”

“Going down to brass tacks, outside any political filter, fentanyl is a problem, and the CalGuard taskforce has done an incredible job. This is just more than doubling that effort to continue that job on a larger scale.”

More statistics on CalGuard’s Counter Drug Taskforce operations is to come out later this year.