Drug seizures in Minnesota up in 2019, DPS says

(FOX 9) - Drug seizures, most notably meth and presrciption pills, are on the rise in Minnesota, according to the state Department of Public Safety. 

In 2019, Violent Crime Enforcement Teams - multijurisdictional task forces responsible for investigating narcotics, gangs and violent crimes - seized 1,706 pounds of methamphetamine--a 640 percent increase from the amount seized five years ago.

This is the 12th straight year the VCETs have seized a record amount of meth, according to DPS.

While the amount of meth seized has increased year-to-year, the number of meth labs seized has decreased from 410 in 2003 to four in 2019. DPS says most of the meth found in Minnesota is coming from Mexican drug organizations.

The amount of prescription pills seized nearly doubled from 16,513 pounds in 2018 to 30,475 pounds in 2019. 

While the amount of marijuana seized dropped dramatically, the amount of marijuana “concentrates” seized grew by 62 percent from 2018, with the bulk of the product seized coming from states that have legalized marijuana.

Heroin and cocaine seizures also increased in 2019.