OMAHA, Nebraska - The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is reporting a sharp increase in increase in cocaine and fentanyl seizures in Iowa.
It says cocaine seizures in the state increased by 70 percent in 2020 over the year before. According to the agency, cocaine availability continues to increase across the U.S. as coca cultivation and production in Colombia, the primary source for cocaine seized in the United States, remains high.
The agency also says the amount of fentanyl it took in carries enough lethal doses for four-and-a-half million users. Fentanyl is 100 times more potent than morphine.
DEA offices in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Sioux City and the Quad Cities were involved in the seizures.
It's also estimated that $2.8 million worth of methamphetamine and marijuana off the streets of Iowa in 2020.
The DEA Omaha Division is a five state territory that includes Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.