U.S. launches operation Apollo at San Ysidro

San Ysidro, California.- This morning, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officially introduced Operation Apollo. This initiative aims to bolster efforts against fentanyl trafficking in the U.S., focusing on the San Ysidro checkpoint. According to the agency, this port accounts for the entry of 47% of this synthetic drug and sees 20% of travelers from the entire southern border daily.

Troy A. Miller, the national commissioner of CBP, announced the move alongside Todd Gloria, the mayor of San Diego. Both stated that Apollo is part of a strategy championed by President Biden to enhance intelligence and collaboration in the fight against fentanyl production and distribution. The strategy also includes an additional investment of over $31 million for operations and the recruitment of new CBP agents.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2022, 109,608 people in the U.S. died from fentanyl overdoses, setting a new record. On a local level, Gloria shared that 410 individuals lost their lives to the same cause last year. "Five years ago, we had 45 fentanyl overdose deaths. That's an 800 percent increase," Gloria emphasized. He further highlighted that, among San Diego's homeless population, 181 individuals died of overdoses.

On "Narcomantas"

Regarding the so-called "narcomantas" - banners appearing in Tijuana and other areas like Sinaloa, where alleged organized groups, including the one led by the sons of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, have called for a halt to fentanyl trafficking - Commissioner Miller was questioned. "No comment," was the CBP official's response, refraining from taking a stance on the matter. Miller explained that Operation Apollo began three years into the Biden administration as part of previous initiatives, not as a new action.

Wait Times

Mariza Marin, director of the San Ysidro Port, assured that Operation Apollo will not impact wait times. "This is an ongoing operation that started earlier this summer. Our goal is to expand existing efforts and collaboration to combat fentanyl," she said.

Marin, the first woman to lead San Ysidro, echoed her superior's comments on Operation Apollo, focusing on "greater consistency, more resources, and smoother information exchange. But there will be no impact on regular border operations." The director also disclosed that over four tons of fentanyl were seized at the Tijuana checkpoints in 2022, with similar figures expected this year.