California: Governor Newsom announces CalGuard has seized $534 million in deadly fentanyl, helping keep drugs off the streets as crime falls statewide
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Sep 2, 2026

Governor Newsom announces CalGuard has seized $534 million in deadly fentanyl, helping keep drugs off the streets as crime falls statewide

What you need to know: California's public safety strategy is delivering results — crime is down across every major category, while the California National Guard's Counterdrug Task Force continues helping law enforcement disrupt fentanyl trafficking and major criminal networks.

SACRAMENTO – As California continues to see historic declines in crime, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the California National Guard's Counterdrug Task Force has helped intercept 39,644 pounds of fentanyl and 54,585,907 fentanyl pills since 2021, with a combined estimated street value of $534 million.

The work is part of Governor Newsom's broader public safety strategy – invest in law enforcement, strengthen state and local partnerships, target the networks driving crime and remove dangerous drugs from circulation — while simultaneously focusing on addiction treatment and prevention that save lives.

California is getting safer because of our sustained investment, strong partnerships and effective strategies  to disrupt the criminal networks that put Californians at risk. Our National Guard members are doing exactly that and we're pairing that enforcement with treatment, prevention and naloxone to help Californians stay healthy and save lives.

Governor Gavin Newsom

"Protecting our communities requires relentless teamwork," said California National Guard Major General Matthew P. Beevers. "With the additional state funding Governor Newsom secured in 2021, the California National Guard continues to provide vital support to law enforcement operations statewide, showcased by the national recognition our analyst earned for supporting last year's historic operation."

CalGuard Counterdrug Task Force members provide critical analytical, investigative and logistical support to law enforcement partners, helping identify trafficking patterns, connect cases and disrupt organized criminal networks.

Honored nationally

On August 27, a CalGuard Counterdrug Task Force analyst received the 2026 U.S. Interdiction Coordinator Illicit Finance Award from the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy for outstanding analytical support.

The recognition underscores the role CalGuard plays beyond individual drug seizures — using intelligence and financial analysis to help law enforcement identify and dismantle the networks moving drugs into California and across the country.

Taking on the illicit markets that hurt Californians

Illicit drug markets endanger both public safety and public health, which is why California is disrupting supply chains while expanding access to treatment, prevention and lifesaving tools.

Fentanyl remains one of the deadliest drugs in circulation. California has paired intelligence-driven enforcement targeting traffickers and major distribution hubs with major investments in treatment, prevention and naloxone. The statewide Naloxone Distribution Project has reported more than 460,000 opioid overdose reversals.

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CalGuard counterdrug teams provide critical analytical, investigative and logistical support to law enforcement, helping identify trafficking patterns, support interdictions and build cases against organized criminal networks.

California is also targeting other illicit markets that threaten public health and safety. The state has stepped up enforcement against illegal cannabis operations through the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force, bringing state, local and federal partners together to disrupt illicit cultivation and sales.

The state has also moved aggressively against intoxicating hemp products and, more recently, kratom and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products after growing evidence of serious health risks. California began enforcing its prohibition on products containing kratom and 7-OH months before recent federal action — working with retailers and partners to get dangerous products off store shelves and out of the hands of children and young adults.

A comprehensive approach to public safety

CalGuard's counterdrug work is one piece of California's broader approach to public safety, which combines state and local law enforcement, intelligence and investigation, prosecution, prevention, treatment and community-based efforts.

California's public safety investments are producing measurable results. In 2025, every major statewide crime category declined, including:
  • Homicide: ↓ 18.6%
  • Robbery: ↓ 19.9%
  • Property crime: ↓ 14.3%
  • Motor vehicle theft: ↓ 25.8%
  • Violent crime: ↓ 10.2%

California's homicide rate is now 3.5 per 100,000 — the lowest rate since statewide reporting began in 1966.The state is continuing to invest in the people, partnerships and strategies needed to keep that progress going.

The results are clear: crime is down, deadly drugs are being taken out of circulation, organized criminal networks are being disrupted, and California continues to invest in the tools that help keep people safe and healthy.

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