Senator Coons, Cornyn & Colleagues Introduce Bill to Combat Fentanyl-laced Pill Production
Delaware US Senator Chris Coons is one of a bipartisan group of Senators who have introduced the “Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act” which would make it easier to combat and track illicit fentanyl manufacturing. This measure would require the serialization of pill presses helping law enforcement to better detect, trace and prosecute the cartels who use this machinery to produce these deadly pills. Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas says that seven out of 10 pills seized by the DEA are laced with a lethal dose of fentanyl which is killing innocent and unsuspecting loved ones.
Additional information from Senator Coons’ release:
“Even as the Biden administration continues to crack down on fentanyl supply chains, there is more Congress can do to address the current leading cause of death for younger Americans,” said Senator Coons. “The Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act will target an underappreciated but critical part of the fentanyl supply chain: pill press machines used for illicit purposes. I appreciate Senator Cornyn’s leadership in developing this approach with me to help track pill presses in a way that properly accounts for the needs of law enforcement, legitimate businesses, and our communities.”
US Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) says “We need to do more to fight traffickers and protect communities. This bipartisan legislation will require will require all pill presses to have a serial number, which will help law enforcement keep track of pill presses, fight counterfeit pill production, reduce overdoses, and ultimately save lives.”
In 2023, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) seized more than 80 million fentanyl-laced pills, an increase of 37% from the year before. In 2024, the DEA has already seized more than 23 million fentanyl pills. Many cartels have gained access to the same type of pill presses used by pharmaceutical companies in order to create dangerous counterfeit pills.
The Controlled Substances Act currently requires companies to keep records and reports of the distribution of pill press equipment, which helps the DEA track and seize pill presses used to manufacture fentanyl-laced pills. But despite the illicit pill presses that have been seized in 43 states, multiple reports suggest these seizures only account for a small number of those being used by cartels.
The Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act would help the DEA and other federal law enforcement agencies track pill press machines and better tackle drug trafficking by amending the Controlled Substances Act to require that all encapsulating machines or tableting machines be engraved with a serial number. This bill would impose criminal penalties for the removal or alteration of the serial number and for the transportation or possession of any pill press with a removed or altered serial number.
The legislation is endorsed by the National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Directors Association, National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, Sergeants Benevolent of the New York City Police Department, National District Attorneys Association, and the Conservative Political Action Conference.
