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Guam heightens vigilance against fentanyl smuggling



By Gina T. Reilly


While methamphetamine and marijuana have remained the top illegal substances being smuggled into Guam, authorities raised the alert to block further entry of fentanyl into the island.


“With fentanyl having made landfall in Guam and claiming the lives of our citizens, our officers maintain heightened vigilance and are postured to respond

accordingly,” said Ike Peredo, director of the Customs and Quarantine Agency.


The Customs agency seized 8.5 grams of fentanyl in 2023 and has since caused seven deaths on island. The quantity of the lethal substance intercepted this year is pending further analysis, the agency said.


“We want to assure our community we have executed our charge to interdict illegal drugs even more aggressively since our officers first intercepted 79.4 gross grams of suspected illegal fentanyl in March 2022,” Peredo said.

 

The agency said Customs officers, along with federal task force members and

 K9 units “remain steadfast in their efforts to detect and intercept illegal drugs

 at our borders and ports of entry daily.”

 

In 2023 and 2024, Customs seized a total of 105.1 lbs. of methamphetamine, 82 lbs. of cocaine, 368 lbs. of marijuana and its derivatives, and .06 lbs of ecstasy.

 

“Additional seizures made in 2024 include an assortment of 119 tablets suspected

to contain illegal fentanyl and 4,000 marijuana cigarettes,” Customs said in a press release.


The agency said the seizures represented 63 cases in 2023 and 54 cases in 2024.

Local and federal agencies are investigating the cases.



“Our officers and dedicated staff will continue to stand by this commitment to protect the people of Guam within the operational means of the agency,” Peredo

 said. “We cannot stress enough how serious it is to locate and remove these drugs from our island to prevent greater devastation in the lives of our neighbors and loved ones."

 

Peredo is seeking the community's assistance in curbing drug use Guam by reporting any smuggling or movement of drugs and other contraband throughout the island.


According to authorities, fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent.


"It is a prescription drug that is made and used illegally. Like morphine, it is a medicine that is typically used to treat patients with severe pain, especially after surgery, or to treat patients with chronic pain who are physically tolerant to other opioids," according to the Guam Bureau of Statistics and Plans' 2022 report. "Guam’s local hospital may not be prepared with the required antidotes in the event of a mass exposure."


Last month, Sen. William A. Parkinson introduced a bill seeking to address the escalating drug abuse crisis on Guam.


Currently, Guam law already classifies the death caused by Schedule I drugs like heroin, LSD, and cannabis as aggravated murder, murder or manslaughter. 

 

The bill would include Schedule II drugs as well in the definition of aggravated murder, murder and manslaughter, including meth and fentanyl. 

 

Guam has witnessed a disturbing rise in drug-related fatalities, including seven fentanyl-related deaths over four years and 37 methamphetamine-related overdose deaths in 2023.

 

 The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reported that methamphetamine was the leading cause of non-natural deaths in Guam in 2023, outpacing murder, suicide or motor vehicle accidents.

 

The bill proposes the following changes:

  • Aggravated murder: Classifying the death of a minor under 18, resulting from the illegal use of a Schedule I or II controlled substance including meth and fentanyl, knowingly provided by an unauthorized person, as aggravated murder.

  • Murder: Expanding the definition to include the death of any person over 18 caused by the illegal use of Schedule I or II substances including meth and fentanyl, provided by an unauthorized person, as murder. 

  • Manslaughter: Addressing cases where death results indirectly from the illegal transfer or sale of Schedule I or II controlled substances including meth and fentanyl, ensuring accountability even in indirect connections to drug-induced fatalities.


"We cannot stand idly by while these dangerous drugs claim the lives of our loved ones. This legislation will ensure that those who push these poisons, these dirty dealers, face the full weight of the law,” Parkinson said.





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