Arizona’s border task force seized 11M hits of heroin, Ducey says
Jan 8, 2018, 3:14 PM | Updated: 3:28 pm
(Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
(Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
PHOENIX — A task force that patrols Arizona’s border has seized 11 million hits of heroin in the two years since it was launched, according to Gov. Doug Ducey.
“Two years in, our Border Strike Force continues to stop the flow of illegal drugs, weapons and cash into our state. We made a decision: If Washington D.C. wasn’t going to secure our border, Arizona would,” Ducey said during his State of the State address on Monday.
In addition to the 11 million hits of heroin that the task force has seized in two years, Ducey said the law enforcement officials have also seized 238 guns, 167,745 rounds of ammunition and 47,842 pounds of marijuana.
“All by our brave and smart troopers working alongside local, federal and Mexican authorities. This is without a doubt making Arizona – and America – a safer place, and it’s worthy of our continued investment.”
Related: Ducey to call special legislative session to further address opioid crisis
The statistic was just one touted by the governor during his fourth State of the State address, during which he identified his legislative priorities for 2018.
Ducey also talked about his commitment to funding public education, reducing the state’s recidivism rate and ending the opioid crisis.
In June, he declared a state health crisis after data showed there was a growing number of opioid overdose deaths in the state.
The declaration allowed the state to coordinate public health efforts, make more resources available and gave the state better and more immediate access to overdose and death data.
