TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) have announced a third consecutive decline in statewide drug-related deaths. This information was detailed in the Florida Medical Examiners Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons 2023 Interim Report, which revealed decreases in total drug-related deaths, opioid-caused deaths, and deaths caused by fentanyl during the first six months of 2023. This announcement follows a nationwide report indicating that Florida leads the country in fentanyl seizures.
Attorney General Ashley Moody stated, “Florida law enforcement is leading the way in removing deadly Mexican fentanyl from our streets, and while the third straight report with a decrease in drug-related deaths statewide is encouraging news, the death toll is still far too high and the border way too open. That is why we must continue to wage war against the opioid crisis on multiple fronts—on the streets, in addiction treatment facilities and in federal court, where my attorneys are pushing back against Biden’s unlawful immigration policies in an effort to stop the free flow of deadly drugs across our border.”
FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass commented, “By working together – our agents, local law enforcement, our lawmakers, and our communities – we can reduce the number of drug deaths across Florida, and make our communities safer and healthier.”
Attorney General Moody has filed several legal challenges aimed at compelling President Biden to adhere to federal immigration laws to close the U.S. Southwest Border and halt Mexican fentanyl from entering the country. Over 100,000 Americans die annually from drug overdoses; most of these fatalities are due to fentanyl. Despite winning multiple legal battles against President Biden's administration over this issue, new policies continue to emerge that allegedly enable Mexican drug cartels to smuggle significant quantities of illicit fentanyl into the United States.
The FDLE interim report highlighted that during the first half of 2023:
- Total drug-related deaths decreased by 7%.
- Deaths caused by fentanyl decreased by 10%.
- Opioid-caused deaths decreased by 10%.
These figures represent some of Florida's most substantial percentage decreases since 2016. The reductions follow extensive interdiction efforts by Florida law enforcement agencies resulting in leading national figures for fentanyl seizures. In 2023 alone, there were 2,089 operations involving fentanyl seizures.
Last month in Volusia County, Attorney General Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution filed charges against 39 individuals involved in a drug-trafficking ring; authorities seized enough fentanyl during this investigation to kill at least half a million people. Later that month, Attorney General Moody and Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced arrests connected to another major fentanyl trafficking operation involving 64 criminals; they confiscated 742 grams of fentanyl—enough to kill more than 370,000 Floridians.
In October 2022, Attorney General Moody reported that law enforcement had already seized enough fentanyl that year to potentially kill Florida's entire population following an 11-pound bust by PCSO earlier that year.
Fentanyl remains extremely lethal with just two milligrams being sufficient to cause death. It is increasingly found mixed into various black market substances prompting Attorney General Moody to create resources such as One Pill Can Kill webpage and Fast Facts on Fentanyl toolkit for public awareness about its dangers.
Additionally urging those struggling with substance abuse issues visit TreatmentAtlas.org for treatment options available nearby while highlighting initiatives like Helping Heroes program launched May last year ensuring first responders have access life-saving naloxone kits.
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