Dallas Police say officers arrested 12 people and seized 3,918.8 grams of fentanyl through the end of October this year.
The department's Special Investigations Unit started conducting overdose investigations at the beginning of last year and will present numbers to the Dallas City Council Public Safety Committee Monday afternoon.
In 2021, Dallas Police say officers seized a total of 4,473.3 grams of fentanyl and made 13 arrests.
"Fentanyl, right now, is probably North Texas' largest drug threat," Eduardo Chavez, special agent in charge of DEA Dallas, told NBC DFW.
In addition to presenting stats to the Dallas City Council committee, Dallas Police will talk about how officers work with the DEA, FBI and Texas Department of Public Safety to prevent the flow of fentanyl into the area.
Dallas Police say the majority of fentanyl brought into the U.S. comes through the southern border by two cartels. They say they pursue federal prosecution where appropriate. They say investigations are difficult, though, because detectives must wait on autopsy reports, there may be a lack of witnesses or witnesses are afraid to talk, and there may be a lack of physical evidence.
"We don't want to get too ahead of an investigation, shortchange ourselves with the individuals who are bringing it in, not only to the Dallas-Fort Worth area but into the country," Chavez says.
Narcan, which can reverse an opioid overdose, has been issued to patrol stations, holding areas and at Love Field.
Dallas ISD school resource officers have been issued Narcan at Lake Highlands High School, Lake Highlands Junior High, Forest Meadow Junior High, Liberty Junior High, Westwood Junior High, Parkhill Junior High and Frankford Middle School.
Dallas Police say they are mapping overdose data "to identify problem areas or hot spots." They say they are sharing that information with partner agencies.
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