U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently announced representatives from the Homeland Security Investigations participated in a panel discussion on how to boost the national response against fentanyl.
According to a news release, the National Crime Prevention Council National Fentanyl Summit took place Oct. 19 and Christopher Heck, acting deputy assistant director with HSI Public Safety and Border Security Division, took part in the first of two panel discussions aimed at reducing the supply and demand of fentanyl in American communities.
“Our efforts in combating this drug epidemic are part of an all-hands, whole-of-government approach," Heck said in the release. "HSI has a robust international footprint to prioritize investigations against transnational criminal organizations in a targeted effort to disrupt supply chains and stop precursor chemicals needed to make fentanyl from reaching labs and individuals making it. As always, we will continue our collaborative efforts to exert our broad authorities every way possible to take down these operations.”
According to Heck, HSI's investigations following illicit currency are now focusing on transactions involving cryptocurrency to uncover leads that will target transnational criminal organizations, the release reported.
HSI has reportedly seized nearly 20,000 pounds of fentanyl in fiscal year 2022, compared to 6,000 pounds in 2016, according to the release.
