Over 1 million counterfeit pills seized in Arizona as part of Fentanyl Free America initiative

PHOENIX — “Can you imagine an America that is fentanyl-free, where families are not devastated by the fentanyl crisis?”

Cheri Oz, Phoenix field division agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), shared the wish of every Arizonan and American alike with KTAR News’ The Mike Broomhead Show on Friday. And now the fight for a synthetic drug-free nation has never been more in focus with the recent launch of DEA’s Fentanyl Free America initiative.

DEA has seized more than one million counterfeit pills in Arizona as of Monday, which Oz said accounts for 65% of the fentanyl traffic in the United States. More than 45 million pills and 9,320 pounds of fentanyl have been secured in the country as of the same date.

“Our goal is to stamp it out and to address it at every level. The supply chain, precursors and then going back to ‘no’ still works (with drugs),” Oz said.

While the DEA has been cracking down on fentanyl over the past several years, Oz said this new initiative takes on “a holistic approach,” as it is a “call to action” for every citizen to engage in conversations about the deadly drug. By staying quiet, we are complicit in the damage and loss that follows, according to Oz.

“We’re giving power to the cartels by really buying and using their junk,” Oz said. “It’s poison that they’re bringing into this country. And they’re preying upon Americans.

“We’re going to stop that. We’re going to stop that by saying ‘no’ on the demand side and by wiping out the supply side.”

The DEA is forcing cartels “like the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG Cartel, to change their business practices,” according to an announcement about the initiative.

During the 2025 fiscal year, the DEA reported that the crack down has proved effective already, with only 29% of seized pills containing fentanyl compared to 76% in fiscal year 2023.

But even one pill is too many.

“‘One pill can kill’ is still very relevant. That is actually the truth, and that’s what devastates families. … This is not a time to experiment,” Oz said. “We have kids that don’t wait up. … They don’t get a second chance. We want that to end.”

Oz’s Phoenix division was a proponent of Operation Fentanyl Free America in October, which contributed to 50 arrested drug traffickers and the seizure of 1,124,807 fentanyl pills and 10.71 kilograms of fentanyl.

“The goal of the campaign is clear: eliminate the fentanyl supply fueling the nation’s deadliest drug crisis,” the release said. “Since 2021, synthetic opioids have claimed nearly 325,000 American lives.”

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