Staff Reports
WASHINGTON D.C. – Recently, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) cosponsored separate bills aimed at combating illicit drugs and smuggling.
Kelly helped introduce the Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act to support border law enforcement by providing additional personnel to scan cargo for illegal drugs and guns or human smuggling, and Gallego cosponsored the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act.
“Customs and Border Protection needs more trained personnel to stop illegal drugs, weapons, and human smuggling from entering our country,” said Kelly. “By adding image technicians to identify threats at ports of entry, we’re giving law enforcement another essential tool to secure the border while keeping trade flowing.”
Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) and John Comyn (R-Texas) introduced the bill with Sen. Kelly.
Xylazine, also known as “tranq,” is an easily accessible veterinary tranquilizer that is being used as a low-cost cutting agent for fentanyl. The bipartisan legislation would schedule this dangerous drug and give law enforcement the tools they need to go after traffickers while protecting access for veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers who use xylazine to treat large animals.
This comes after xylazine has been circulating on the streets of Phoenix. The DEA has seized xylazine and fentanyl mixtures in 48 of 50 states, including Arizona, and an estimated 23% of fentanyl powder in the US actually contained a mixture of xylazine as well.
“The fentanyl crisis is already devastating families across Arizona, and xylazine makes it even deadlier. This bill is another step in our fight to keep dangerous drugs like tranq out of our communities,” said Senator Gallego.
The bill is endorsed by 39 state attorneys general, including Arizona’s, major law enforcement organizations, and veterinary organizations.
