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- By Native News Online Staff
Federal and tribal law enforcement officials announced a major drug bust on Monday, seizing more than 37,000 fentanyl pills valued at nearly $1.5 million during a coordinated operation on the Pueblo of Isleta Reservation in New Mexico.
The operation, led by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement and Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Police, resulted in the confiscation of approximately 37,300 fentanyl pills and $37,877 in cash. The Homeland Security Task Force also participated in the interdiction effort.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum praised the multi-agency collaboration, emphasizing the administration's commitment to protecting Native American communities from drug trafficking.
Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs William Kirkland highlighted the ongoing challenge of illegal drugs in tribal areas, noting that narcotics trafficking remains a major contributor to violent crime in Indian Country.
"I praise the great collaboration between all of the involved agencies, both tribal and non-tribal, to protect our nation from deadly drugs which continue to devastate our country," Kirkland said in a statement.
The seizure comes as part of broader federal efforts to combat the opioid crisis in Native American communities. In 2018, the Department of the Interior established an Opioid Reduction Task Force, led by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, specifically designed to prevent illegal narcotics from being distributed in and around Indian Country.
The task force represents a coordinated effort across multiple agencies and was created in response to the national opioid crisis. Interior officials say combating fentanyl trafficking has become a key priority in 2025, with the department intensifying its efforts against drug trafficking organizations through partnerships with various law enforcement task forces.
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