(COLORADO SPRINGS) — A record number of fentanyl pills are being seized across Colorado, with local law enforcement agencies like the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) crediting the success partly to their department's ability to deploy officers undercover. The Drug Enforcement Administ ration's (DEA) Rocky Mountain Field Division announced it seized nearly 2.7 million fentanyl pills – or “fake” pills – in Colorado in 2024. This breaks the previous record set in 2023 with 2.61 million pills seized in the state. “It is an unfortunate record to set,” said DEA RMFD Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen. “We continue to work day in, day out fighting the cartels putting this poison on Colorado streets. While we have seen seizure numbers trending lower in other parts of the country, Colorado seems to be consistently at or near record highs for the number of fake pills seized.” Just two milligrams of fentanyl, an amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil, can cause a deadly overdose. FOX21 News had the chance to sit down with an undercover CSPD detective to learn more about the challenges they're facing and how the community can play a part in the fight against fentanyl. "With fentanyl, it is essentially a Russian roulette and one pill could kill you," the detective said. This undercover detective has been with CSPD's Metro Narcotics Unit since 2018. He said fentanyl has been in Colorado Springs for at least the last five years. "It's hard to pinpoint where specifically in the City of Colorado Springs, in the County of El Paso, these are actually happening because they can happen literally everywhere," the detective said. When detectives go undercover, they often stage a sale in business parking lots or at gas stations. "We will target fentanyl dealers and we will hold them accountable for any pill that they're selling, whether it be one or thousands," he said. The detective explained many fentanyl sales in Colorado Springs are happening on social media, which remains their biggest challenge because the data can be easily wiped, making it harder to track down dealers. "I think most certainly we're making a dent in the fact that we are prosecuting more aggressively and that Colorado has a legislature now that allows us to prosecute individuals who distribute fentanyl that leads to someone's death," the detective said. Currently in Colorado, possession of between one and four grams of fentanyl is considered a level 4 drug felony, with penalties including up to 180 days in jail and up to two years of probation. Distributing more than 50 grams of fentanyl is considered a level 1 drug felony, with sentences ranging from eight to 32 years in prison. "As long as we can continue to work together, we'll be able to continue to prosecute those not only locally in our community, but those that are ultimately at the top that are the ones distributing these pills," he said. CSPD is committed to keeping the community safe from the deadly drug, with education being their top priority. "One of the most important things is to just monitor your children's social media to be able to see if these conversations are happening and to help educate them a little bit better on the dangers of fentanyl," the detective said. As CSPD continues to crack down on fentanyl, officers recommend having a supply of Narcan. It's an essential tool to have on hand if someone is prone to suffering from an overdose and can provide life-saving measures before medical personnel can come and help. ...read more read less