U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Crime Lab in Denver
U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken says he chose Denver because it's a city that is leading this effort in trying to reduce the demand for drugs, while also dealing with prevention and treatment regarding the ongoing opioid crisis.
He described the city as an "incredible example" to share with others about what the United States is doing to combat the opioid crisis.
Blinken paid a visit to the crime lab on Friday to see for himself how the facility detects fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.
The lab has been using the ELISA, (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) method and GC-MS testing to trace fentanyl.
According to the lab, on a GC-MS test, it takes about 45 minutes for one sample, but using rapid testing they can test up to 40 samples. This is just one of the ways they are working to detect what is in the pills they receive in their lab.
They believe developing a rapid technique is very important and that is something Blinken applauds.
"Last year in the United States we seized enough fentanyl to kill every American and that's the fentanyl we seized," Blinken said.
According to Mayor Hancock, in Denver, a 4,500% increase in the presence of fentanyl in these drugs since 2018. Moreover, at least 50% of the 400 overdoses in the city were due to fentanyl.
Blinken believes this is an international issue.
"This is a problem that requires us to work at a local level, at a national level and international level," Blinken said.
Denver Crime Lab chemists have tested M-30 tablets for two years now and say they have detected Xylazine in some. Xylazine is a drug used for sedation and anesthesia in animals, such as horses.
The tranq does not respond to naloxone, which is the opioid reversal drug that has avoided many deaths from fentanyl.
"Our market is increasingly saturated the criminal enterprises that are engaged in producing and distributing synthetic opioids like fentanyl and are trying to make markets elsewhere. So, the more we can learn the way a city like Denver is being affected the more, we will be able to share that with countries around the world," Blinken said.
Blinken also met with mayors from Ecuador, Canada and some national mayors to discuss the surge of fentanyl.
"We also need their help - much of the fentanyl coming into the U.S. starts halfway around the world with perfectly legal chemicals produce in one country then sent somewhere else like Mexico and diverted into illegal use," Blinken added.
Which is why cooperating with international leaders for him is key to preventing that diversion.
"If we are not working on every single one of these levels at local, national and international, we are not going to solve the problem," Blinken expressed.
Blinken applauds the city for its efforts in attempting to combat the on-going fentanyl crisis.
From early detection to law enforcement officials, he believes building connections with international leaders is the only way to get ahead of this problem.