Year end drug seizures by Atlanta agents show continued rise in deadly pills

Caption

The DEA Atlanta Division office showcased a record-breaking seizure of methanphatamine at a press conference in August, 2024.

Credit: Credit/Drug Enforcement Administration

Nationally, synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, now cause more overdose deaths than any other illicit drug. Synthetics are substances created in a lab that trigger the same brain receptors as natural opioids. 

It’s part of the third wave of the opioid epidemic, which started with prescription pills and was followed by heroin. While both are deadly, neither class of drugs has resulted in as many overdose deaths than synthetic opioids. The latest provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that on average in 2024, synthetic opioids were found in 63% of overdose deaths in Georgia. 

That’s because fentanyl and its analogs are more potent even in small amounts.

So how do overdose deaths reflect what drugs were actually collected by law enforcement this past year?  

According to the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Atlanta Division, methamphetamines are still the most commonly seized drug across Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. 

But in 2024, division agents seized more than double the amount of pills containing illicit fentanyl compared to the previous year — about 40,000 pills — and about 600 pounds of fentanyl powder. Spokespeople for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the agency did not have a tally of fentanyl seizures for 2024 readily available so it's likely the amount seized overall is higher. 

“We're in the middle of the pack, thankfully,” said Special Agent in Charge at the Atlanta DEA, Robert Murphy. “But again, still staggering amounts.”

Fentanyl seizures were highest along the U.S.-Mexico border, Murphy said. 

The DEA seized over 53 million pills containing illicit fentanyl in 2024. The previous year, a study funded by the National Institutes of Health shows law enforcement nationwide seized almost double that, at 115 million pills.  

“It's a brilliant marketing scheme, and it's deadly,” Murphy said. “That makes it much harder for us from a public safety standpoint.” 

And from a regulatory standpoint, Murphy said, because it’s easy to mix illicit fentanyl with other, legal drugs. 

State public health agencies and law enforcement have been raising the alarm over the past couple of years. In Georgia, illicit fentanyl has been found in counterfeit pills sold as Xanax, Percocet and other painkillers. Last legislative session, Georgia lawmakers voted to make it easier to criminalize fentanyl dealers, and any unauthorized possession of pill presses. 

It can take analysis in a lab to tell what’s actually in counterfeit pills, so Murphy said anyone buying drugs outside a pharmacy, either on the street or off of illegal online pharmacies, is “almost … 100%” buying something with illicit fentanyl in it. 

There’s evidence of fentanyl being mixed with other illicit substances too, including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and some marijuana products. Lately, overdoses and life-threatening skin necrosis have also been attributed to fentanyl being mixed with the animal tranquilizer, Xylazine.  

Murphy expects to see an increase in synthetic drugs from overseas. 

“It’s all going to be synthetic drugs,” Murphy predicts. “It's extremely cheap, very profitable for cartels, and it's endless combinations.”

Caption

A seizure of an estimated 22,000 pills containing illicit fentanyl.

Credit: Credit/Drug Enforcement Administration

Manufacturers in East Asia are now recognized as primary suppliers in the fentanyl supply chain, relied on by cartels in Central America for the chemicals necessary to drug production. Following pressure from the U.S., the Chinese government moved to better regulate the market of chemical precursors late last year. 

A closer look at overdose deaths 

Many in emergency medicine, the addiction recovery community and those in active addiction say the drug supply is more dangerous now than ever before. 

But for the first time in years, overdose deaths are reported to be going down. That’s been credited to a rise in naloxone distribution and use, improvements in access to medication assisted treatment and a greater acceptance of harm reduction, which connects people who use drugs with tools that can help keep them and their friends alive. 

Clinical researcher and Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management at Emory University, Stephen Patrick, considers the nearly 18% drop in overdose deaths in Georgia over one year “substantial.” Yet he says it doesn’t tell the full story of where we’re at in tackling the opioid epidemic. 

“I think my first response is that we should be cautious about how we interpret the data,” Patrick said. 

For one, there are still close to 100,000 people dying every year from overdoses in the U.S., and far more people living everyday with substance use disorder. And that provisional data from the CDC actually points to some increases in overdose death rates among non-hispanic Black people and non-Hispanic Pacific Islanders. 

There are also still barriers to evidence-based treatment. In some cases, it’s just hard to find providers that actually answer the phone, Patrick said, and that can be enough to make someone in need hang up. 

Other systemic issues fall under the umbrella of stigma and parity, which affect already vulnerable populations, such as pregnant and postpartum people with substance use disorder.

That’s where Patrick was introduced to the opioid epidemic. Working in the neonatal intensive care unit, he watched as babies were born with symptoms of withdrawal, and worked with their mothers to get everyone healthy again. 

“We could do this better, we could make it far easier to get into treatment and have long-term recovery,” Patrick said. “We just haven't given attention to special populations,” Patrick said. 

Still, there’s a lot that communities are doing right, as evidenced by the downward trend in deaths. But many agree it will take federal and state coordination to keep the trend going down.

This year, Georgia will see over 100 programs get to work as a result of money won in lawsuits against major opioid distributors. All over the state, the organizations receiving funding have committed to tackling projects under the umbrellas of recovery, treatment, research, harm reduction and prevention. This is the first round of grants, with more expected to come down the pike in the coming years. Many view this money as a chance to see what works, and where the state can make improvements.