Fentanyl Pill Seizures Skyrocketed by Over 1,700% Since 2017

U.S. fentanyl seizures skyrocketed by over 1,700% from 2017 to 2023, with nearly half of the seizures in pill form by 2023, indicating a major shift in the drug market and increased overdose risks.

The number of illicit fentanyl seizures by law enforcement in the United States grew by more than 1,700 percent between 2017 and 2023, according to a new analysis. Further, the share of total fentanyl seizures that involved pills quadrupled over the same period–with the 115.6 million pills seized in 2023 representing 49 percent of total seizures.