Fentanyl Seizures Plummet in Montana, Deaths Continue to Rise

On April 1, 2026, Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced that fentanyl and most other dangerous drug seizures in Montana decreased in 2025. Last year, fentanyl seizures decreased 70 percent from 2024 and nearly 80 percent from 2023, when there was an all-time high of fentanyl seizures in the state. Knudsen said cocaine, heroin, and marijuana seizures also decreased last year, while methamphetamine seizures stayed the same.

“I am happy to report there was a huge drop in fentanyl seizures in Montana last year,” Knudsen said. “It’s not a coincidence that this news comes as President Trump is back in office and committed to securing the southern border. While this is welcome news, at the Montana Department of Justice, we’re not slowing down our efforts to get illicit drugs out of our communities. There are still far too many overdoses, and worse, fatal overdoses because of this poison that was allowed to flow across the Mexico border unfettered for years by the Biden administration.” 

In 2025, Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (RMHIDTA) task forces seized a total of 83,382 dosage units of fentanyl in Montana, compared to 275,091 dosage units in 2024.  

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Comparative Trends in Illicit Drug Seizures

“The last year authorities seized fewer than 100,000 dosage units of fentanyl was in 2021 when 60,557 units were seized,” Knudsen said. “According to RMHIDTA data, cocaine seizures decreased 51 percent (68.04 to 33.3 pounds) last year compared to the year before; heroin seizures decreased 94 percent (12.77 to .82 pounds); and methamphetamine seizures remained the same (304.03 to 304.01 pounds).” 

These quantities are from the six RMHIDTA Montana task forces, which includes the Montana Department of Justice’s Narcotics Bureau agents and Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) Criminal Interdiction Teams, and are not all-inclusive of drugs seized by all law enforcement in the state, but help to provide statewide trends. 

“While fentanyl seizures decreased, fentanyl-linked deaths increased 34 percent in 2025,” Knudsen said. “According to the State Crime Lab, there were 74 fentanyl-linked fatal overdoses in Montana compared to 55 in 2024. Polysubstance fatal overdoses are also on the rise. In 78 percent of last year’s fatal overdoses, fentanyl was mixed with another illegal drug, like methamphetamine, compared to 60 percent in 2024.” 

READ MORE: Decline In Fentanyl Seizures: What It Means For Montana

These numbers do not reflect the entire statewide total, as the crime lab only verifies deaths that involve an autopsy. 

“The Montana Highway Patrol (MHP), which reports the Criminal Interdiction Team’s seizures to HIDTA, saw a 96 percent decrease in the amount of fentanyl seized in 2025 (109,463 to 4,511 dosage units),” Knudsen said. “There was also a 28 percent decrease in the amount of meth seized by MHP in 2025 (140.24 to 100.75 pounds). MHP cocaine seizures increased by 21 percent (18.45 to 22.27 pounds).”