Together With Local and Federal Law Enforcement Partners, Attorney General Bonta Reaffirms Commitment to Combat the Fentanyl Epidemic

Attorney General Bonta joins law enforcement partners in Sacramento region to discuss collaborative efforts to protect communities from fentanyl

SACRAMENTO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper, Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire, and local and federal law enforcement partners today to reaffirmed their commitment to combating the fentanyl epidemic through collaborative action. The California Department of Justice (DOJ) is actively working to prevent fentanyl trafficking across the border through coordinated efforts with local and federal law enforcement partners throughout California to stop fentanyl before it ever has a chance to make it to Sacramento. As of April 2025, DOJ has seized a total of 15,468,990 fentanyl pills, 6,793 pounds of fentanyl powder and have arrested 508 suspects on fentanyl related charges. 

“Today, I want to remind Californians that our work will continue until illicit fentanyl stops destroying lives,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “We will continue to collaborate with local, state, and federal law enforcement wherever possible. We’ll investigate traffickers, disrupt trafficking networks, and continue to prevent overdose deaths by taking illicit fentanyl off of our streets. Those who bring this poison into the state can expect to be prosecuted and held accountable for the death and devastation they’ve caused. We are extremely thankful to all our Greater Sacramento area law enforcement partners standing on the frontlines with us to battle this epidemic.”  

“With a focus on increased accountability for drug dealers, our SACFORCE team has successfully prosecuted dangerous drug peddlers," Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho. "We're partnering regionally to disrupt fentanyl distribution and increasing public awareness to protect people from fentanyl poisonings. This combined approach is working in Sacramento, and we will continue to keep fentanyl deaths on a downward trend.”

"With 33 years in law enforcement, and having worked as a gang and narcotics detective, I have been in the war against drugs for decades - and fentanyl is the deadliest drug I have ever seen," said Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper. "We need to be the adults in the room. The social experiment of allowing this deadly poison to flow freely has failed – and now it’s time to take action, with more than just words."

“We are proud to stand with our federal, state, and local partners in the continued fight to rid our communities of fentanyl and those who peddle it," said Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire. "Our aggressive enforcement and prosecution, combined with our extensive outreach and education campaigns, have reduced overdose and poisoning deaths in our region and are saving lives. We will continue to hold dealers of this poison accountable and use all available resources to combat this deadly epidemic."

In 2022, in response to the fentanyl epidemic, the California Legislature and the Governor approved appropriation for the creation of the California Department of Justice Fentanyl Enforcement Program (FEP). FEP works with local and federal law enforcement partners throughout the state to address the fentanyl crisis and get these dangerous drugs off California’s streets. The program is comprised of regional investigative teams placed in San Diego, Los Angeles, Dublin, and Sacramento. FEP targets major multijurisdictional fentanyl-trafficking criminal networks. The program works with local and federal law enforcement partnerships to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle these criminal networks. 

Some of Doj's recent fentanyl related enforcement actions can be read about here:

• March 2025: Announced the arrest of three major fentanyl traffickers and the seizure of nearly $55 million worth of fentanyl in Los Angeles.
• January 2025: Announced an update on the ongoing efforts to combat the fentanyl epidemic at the Mexico and California border through the Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team. 
• October 2024: Issued guidance to provide local governments with suggestions for the permissible, effective, and strategic use of opioid settlement abatement funds.
• April 2024: Together with local and federal law enforcement partners, Attorney General Bonta received a briefing on fentanyl trafficking and toured the California-Mexico border
• February 2024: Announced a joint operation in San Diego County resulted in the felony arrest of a suspect and the seizure of 720,000 fentanyl pills.
• January 2024: Announced that FEP arrested and filed charges against three drug traffickers alleged to be responsible for bringing 30,000 fentanyl pills across the Mexico and California border.