ORLANDO, Fla. — More fentanyl is off the streets in Florida.
The state is touting a program that they believe is helping. It’s called the “SAFE” program.
It provides funding to law enforcement agencies to run operations to seize drugs.
Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke in Orlando on Tuesday and said the program is making communities safer.
DeSantis and Seminole County Sheriff Lemma announced the two-year results of operating the SAFE program Tuesday.
“It’s a crisis we’ve never experienced before,” Lemma said.
They said the program has allowed for more than 200 drug operations, 2,100 arrests, the seizure of 485 pounds of fentanyl, and 63,000 fentanyl pills.
“That’s enough to kill 1/3 of the population in America,” DeSantis said.
Lemma said funding for this program, as well as changes in state law like allowing drug dealers who cause an overdose death to be charged with first-degree murder, is holding more drug dealers accountable.
In the last two years, Lemma said 50 people have been charged with murder in Seminole County for an overdose death.
The legislature approved an additional $13 million to keep the program operating.
DeSantis said more funding will be needed in his next budget to keep taking fentanyl, illegal guns, and criminals off the streets.
The program has also seized hundreds of pounds of cocaine, meth, drug cash, drug-related firearms, and drug vehicles.
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