WASHINGTON – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley met with President Trump and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Friday to talk about stopping the flow of fentanyl coming into the United States. As Emily’s Hope previously reported, South Dakota was one of five states that saw an increase in overdose deaths over the past year, with provisional numbers from the SD Department of Health indicating that 23 people died in 2024 from the powerful synthetic opioid.
“Fentanyl is having a devastating impact across our Nation and in South Dakota,” said Attorney General Jackley. “I support the efforts of President Trump and Attorney General Bondi to partner with local and state authorities to combat fentanyl and to stop the flow from the borders.”
Jackley was one of seven Attorneys General who attended the meeting in Washington, D.C., where he spoke about how fentanyl has impacted South Dakota and what lawmakers are doing to prevent the drug’s distribution. Jackley said the amount of fentanyl seized in South Dakota during 2024 totaled 18.2 pounds or 8262 grams. That’s up from around 4637 grams in 2023 and 579 in 2020.
“The amount of fentanyl seized last year was enough to cause the death of every South Dakotan four to five times over, and fentanyl abuse continues to increase,” Jackley said. “Local, State, Tribal and Federal partners continue to join forces to protect our communities and our streets.”
