The Drug Enforcement Administration says fentanyl powder seizures in South Dakota jumped 43% last year, even as seizures of counterfeit fentanyl pills fell by 41%—a shift seen nationwide.
According to the DEA, cartels are moving away from producing pills and instead focusing on cheaper fentanyl powder, which agents in South Dakota say has dropped in purity from about 20% to 10%. The powder is increasingly being mixed with methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin.
In 2025, agents seized more than 4 pounds of fentanyl and 27,500 counterfeit pills—an amount the DEA says equates to 146,000 potentially fatal doses.
The state also saw increases in other drug seizures: more than 300 pounds of methamphetamine and nearly 40 pounds of cocaine were taken off the streets last year.
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