The Alaska State Trooper’s Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) released its annual drug report on January 23, highlighting trends in illegal narcotics trafficking within the state. Troopers seized 1,262 pounds of illegal narcotics across the state including approximately 42 million potentially fatal doses of fentanyl.
Among the reports indicated in the report, there was a 76% increase in the total amount of illegal drugs and alcohol seized by SDEU from 2023 to 2024, including an 89% increase in methamphetamine seizures and a 57% increase in heroin seizures. SDEU made 175 unique drug and alcohol arrests across Alaska in 2024.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Alaska State Troopers established a task force in 2024 that allowed Alaska High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) law enforcement officers to help identify and interdict narcotics being sent or received through the mail.
Recently, here in the Mat-Su Borough, a task force of law enforcement officers from the Alaska State Troopers (AST), Wasilla Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and Anchorage Police Department executed several search warrants, including at the Mug-Shot Saloon, and a residence in Meadow Lakes, resulting in several arrests.
International drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) continue to gravitate towards Alaska’s lucrative drug market, looking to exploit remote areas because of high demand and costs.
“One of the core missions of the Alaska State Troopers is to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in Alaska, and in 2024 we increased our efforts resulting in an increase of drug seizures statewide,” said Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James Cockrell. “Your Alaska State Troopers will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to hold those that deal deadly drugs accountable for their actions and work around the clock to stop dangerous drugs such as fentanyl from entering Alaska to wreak havoc on our communities.”
The Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit is made up of six regional task forces: Southcentral Areawide Narcotics Team, Fairbanks Area-wide Narcotics Team, Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs, Western Alaska Alcohol and Narcotics Team, Mat-Su Narcotics Enforcement Team, and Anchorage Airport Interdiction Team. Each regional task force is comprised of Alaska State Troopers, local police officers, and federal law enforcement agents. Additionally, Alaska has four High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) initiatives.
