A joint federal and local drug task force seized in mid-December a record 1.7 million fentanyl pills in a sweeping crackdown on illegal drugs entering the United States from Mexico. “As U.S. overdose deaths reach a devastating new height, claiming a new victim every five minutes, the (federal) Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has revealed a direct link between fentanyl-related overdose deaths and criminal drug networks in Mexico,” the DEA said in a press release. The DEA said that these criminal networks are using social media and smartphones to market fake drugs laced with fentanyl. On Dec. 14, 2021, the DEA, working with the Scottsdale Police Department and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, seized a record 1.7 million fentanyl pills. At least 10 kilograms of fentanyl powder was also seized in a single investigation in Arizona. Further details regarding the location of the sting operation and any arrests that were made …