Federal agents seized 613,619 fentanyl pills in Utah through mid-July 2026, the DEA reported Monday, July 20. That pace follows a sharp statewide escalation: the agency seized approximately 2 million pills in all of 2025, double the 1 million total in 2024.

The DEA's Rocky Mountain Field Division, covering Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, has seized nearly 3.2 million pills and more than 92 kilograms of fentanyl powder since January 1. One of every six fentanyl pills seized nationally in 2026 has come from the Rocky Mountain region, according to the DEA's data. Nationally, the agency has seized 18.7 million pills so far this year, compared to 47 million for all of 2025.

Colorado leads the region

Colorado accounted for the bulk of the division's seizures, with approximately 2.5 million pills seized through mid-July. Wyoming has already surpassed its full-year 2025 total, with 5,507 pills seized compared to approximately 5,000 for all of last year.

Cottonwood Heights saw large seizure in 2025

The most recent publicly reported fentanyl seizure in Cottonwood Heights dates to September 2025, when CHPD K-9 Dave located approximately 8.5 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 30,000 fentanyl pills in a single incident within city limits.

"K-9 Dave did locate about 8.5 pounds of meth and over 30,000 fentanyl pills in our community," Police Support Specialist Candie Smith said during CHPD's quarterly report in October 2025.

That seizure was large enough to cause a noticeable uptick in CHPD's crime statistics for September 2025, according to the department's quarterly report. No 2026-specific CHPD fentanyl seizure data has been publicly released.

How to report drug activity

Residents who suspect drug trafficking in Cottonwood Heights or Holladay can contact the DEA's Salt Lake City office at (801) 524-4156, submit tips online at dea.gov/submit-tip, or file a confidential report with Utah's Statewide Information and Analysis Center at siac.utah.gov/report.