Drug Strike Force adapts to changes in fentanyl trafficking as seizures drop from record highs
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Buchanan County is on pace to see its lowest quantity of fentanyl seized since 2021, but despite notable progress, local authorities remain concerned by changing trends in trafficking of the powerful drug.
From 2022 to 2023, Buchanan County saw a staggering 439% increase in fentanyl seizures amid a nationwide surge of the powerful synthetic opioid. Seizures by the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force jumped from 973 grams of fentanyl-laced products to more than 5,200 grams during that time.
With a vast majority of fentanyl-laced products being smuggled into the country as opposed to being manufactured here, joint operations locally combined with increased border enforcement has had a sizable impact on the area according to Capt. Shawn Collie with the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force.
“Where we may have had 25 or 30 fentanyl dealers before, what we're finding now is it may be down to two or three, but they're getting in big quantities because they're being forced to. It's kind of that supply and demand," said Collie, a veteran of the department since 1997. "It seems like (border lockdowns) have really kind of slowed down the number of seizures."
In 2024, 985 grams were seized by the Drug Strike Force in Buchanan County, a marked decrease from record highs in 2023. Thus far through November 2025, 630 grams have been confiscated, putting it on pace to be the lowest amount in years.
One gram of fentanyl is powerful enough to kill 500 people according to the DEA and CDC, making it 100 times more powerful than morphine.
Collie and others surmise that drug trafficking networks have been forced to consolidate shipments across a smaller group of traffickers to reduce how much product is being confiscated or lost. The vast majority (at least 82%) of U.S. seizures for hard drugs like fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine occur at land-border ports of entry.
"99% of our cases or more, we are able to identify coming from outside areas and it’s usually going to one of the major cities before us," Collie said. "We've seen hundreds of kilos of fentanyl seized in the Kansas City area or Omaha areas tied to Saint Joe."
The recent seizure of a large quantity of fentanyl connected with one St. Joseph woman on the Belt Highway marks the latest example of what local authorities describe as more risky and larger quantities of fentanyl.
Coordinated operations between state and federal law enforcement agencies like the DEA, ATF and the U.S. Marshals Service, including local operations with St. Joseph Police, the Sheriff's Office and Missouri State Highway Patrol, have been key in solving investigations on both a local and regional scale that overlap.
“We can take drug dealers off the street here every day of the week. There's always somebody to replace them. What we try to do is work with other agencies to try to take off the source of the supply," he said. "We really depend a lot on our patrol officers, whether it's the St. Joe PD, Sheriff's Office, Highway Patrol, They come into contact every day with this stuff."
Collie said partnerships with federal law enforcement agencies can at times be the difference in solving costlier investigations where technology is used to cover or aid drug operations -- from transportation to communication -- a process that often requires additional resources to successfully crack.
A key effort within the Drug Strike Force is studying trends with technology on the east and west coasts, trends that oftentimes make their way to the middle of the country.
“People are doing everything through the dark webs. And so that's where we really depend a lot on our federal agencies, the costs that go along with that investigation," he said. "It's so easy now just to click on a few buttons and have something delivered right to you."
Whether it's speaking with nonprofit groups, schools, neighborhood watch groups or businesses, authorities have stressed the importance of staying vigilant and sparking conversations between parents, children and teachers on the dangers of experimenting with drugs.
The department has seen a significant increase in requests for discussions or programs with local groups and children in younger age ranges to bring awareness and highlight the dangers.
"You know, we're making arrests every day. We're making seizures every day. But for us, a lot of it's going to be staying ahead of the game on education and prevention," he said. "As well as community involvement, which is key. We're not asking people to go out and be cops for us. But if you're seeing something in your neighborhood, contact your local law enforcement."
