The DEA is warning World Cup visitors about fentanyl risks and increasing enforcement efforts across North Texas during the tournament.
As millions of international visitors arrive in North Texas for the FIFA World Cup, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is warning fans about the dangers of fentanyl and the risks posed by illicit drugs.
DEA officials say many visitors may be unfamiliar with the prevalence of fentanyl in the United States and the potential for the drug to be mixed with other substances.
"We are looking at those dealers that are trying to profit based on this event, and we are actively targeting them," said Joe Tucker, special agent in charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. "We see fentanyl mixed with methamphetamine, we see it mixed with cocaine, we see it mixed with marijuana," Tucker said. The DEA said no World Cup venue area in North Texas is off limits when it comes to drug traffickers seeking to target visitors.
To raise awareness, the agency has launched more than 50 One Pill Can Kill campaign advertisements on DART trains and digital billboards near Fan Fest, Dallas Stadium, FC Dallas Stadium and Mansfield Stadium.
"Proximity for us to Mexico, where it's being manufactured, is why we have such an influx here in the United States," Tucker said. The DEA said it increased enforcement efforts ahead of the World Cup through Operation Red Card, a coordinated effort involving federal, state and local law enforcement agencies focused on narcotics trafficking and violent crime. According to the agency, the two-month operation resulted in the seizure of 800 kilograms of illicit narcotics and the arrest of 197 people.
Tucker said social media platforms are among the most common ways drug traffickers connect with potential buyers.
"They just have to know how to access it on social media, and they can find a drug dealer within minutes," Tucker said. Tucker also warned about the dangers of fentanyl, noting that even a small amount can be deadly.
"You could take something laced with fentanyl or a pill that contains fentanyl, and you could be dead in very short order. It could be that last thing that you do, and there's no coming back from it," Tucker said.
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