COLORADO — Colorado State Patrol (CSP) has released the number of drugs it has seized over the past year and the total, in weight, is more than any other year within a five year period.

“The mission of our Smuggling, Trafficking, and Interdiction Section (STIS) is to relentlessly pursue those who transport illegal firearms, narcotics, illicit bulk US currency, and human trafficking victims on Colorado’s highways,” said STIS Captain Bill Barkley of the Colorado State Patrol. 

Although the total number of cases dropped 3% in 2021, down to 361 cases from 372 in 2020, some notable seizures include 1,434 pounds of Methamphetamine (291% increase) from 2020, and 151 pounds of Fentanyl powder (403% increase) from 2020 – not to mention the 13,842 fentanyl pills and other drug seizures.

STIS – DRUG AMOUNT

The Colorado State Patrol’s STIS team also seized over $3 Million of illicit U.S. currency, up 16% from 2020 and 143% increase between 2017 and 2021.  The 2021 currency seizures were a result of 53 loads, down from 65 loads in 2020.  Simply put, that averages to over $59,000 per load in 2021 and approximately $17,500 more each load in 2021. 

STIS – ILLICIT CURRENCY

Within the STIS seizures, 174 of those seizures originated here in Colorado, and 205 seizures were destined for Colorado.  Colorado was both the top state of origin and destination, followed by California. 

Seizures destined for Colorado included:

217 pounds of cocaine$433,810 in illicit U.S. currency52 pounds of fentanylTen (10) guns137 pounds of heroin56 pounds of cannabis681 pounds of methamphetamine

“Our ultimate mission is to save Coloradan lives from this poison that has already taken too many lives from addiction and overdoses.  The STIS is dedicated every day to this mission,” said Captain Barkley