Recently, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sounded the alarm over fentanyl “super labs” up north in Canada. That concern is included in their most recent public threat assessment. This recently released report shows that fentanyl was being trafficked into the U.S. across the northern border from Canada. It is nowhere near the volume that actually crosses from Mexico.
In the DEA’s annual report, this growing danger of cross-border trafficking of fentanyl is identified as a dangerously trending menace. This powerful opioid is directly responsible for millions of overdose deaths across the U.S. Former President Donald Trump even cited this concern in defense of his decision to impose tariffs on Canadian lumber. He asserted that fentanyl is coming into the country “a lot more through the southern border.” Despite these claims, the DEA’s 2024 drug threat assessment does not mention Canada as a major source of fentanyl threats.
When he finally threatened tariffs in March, it was with the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA). This time, Canada was swift to respond to such threats. Instead, the Canadian government responded with a $1.3 billion border plan and a “fentanyl czar” to manage the threat. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not include Canada in its information about the fentanyl threat in a report released earlier this year.
The DEA’s national drug threat assessment for 2019 acknowledged that Canada is a source of fentanyl. They refused to answer the question of whether all that fentanyl they cited really did come from Canada.
“There is limited to no evidence or data from law enforcement agencies in the U.S. or Canada to support the claim that Canadian produced fentanyl is an increasing threat to the U.S.” – RCMP
It’s no surprise, then, that despite these findings, during Trump’s administration, Canadian imports were prioritized. They raised additional tariffs on steel, aluminum, and cars through independent presidential authority. Notably, Trump later partially paused tariffs on imports compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade just days after their initial enforcement.
Robert Murphy, a spokesperson for the DEA, commented on the overall situation:
“This year’s report indicates progress in the fight against fentanyl and also outlines the increasing challenges we face with the changing landscape of the synthetic drug crisis.”
Murphy further emphasized the urgency of addressing the issue:
“The adulterating of fentanyl with highly potent, dangerous chemicals reminds us that this fight is far from over.”
