More drugs seized at unguarded sections of the border than at ports of entry in 2018

Government data for 2018 shows more drugs were seized near open parts of the U.S.-Mexico border than were seized at ports of entry, calling into question a popular Democratic talking point that most drugs come through official border crossings.

U.S. Border Patrol, which works in the unfenced or minimally protected space between crossings, seized nearly 480,000 pounds of drugs on the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal year 2018.

Drug seizures that occur at ports of entry are documented under Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations statistics. Its four field offices on the southern border — El Paso, Texas; Laredo, Texas; Tucson, Ariz.; and San Diego — seized 370,000 pounds of drugs in the 2018 fiscal year.

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