WASHINGTON

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized over 600,000 pounds of illicit drugs in 2025, the country’s Homeland Security secretary said Wednesday.

"In addition to keeping the illegal aliens out, we're also protecting the American people from the deadly drugs that are coming in, and just in 2025 CBP seized over 600,000 pounds of illicit drugs," Kristi Noem told a news conference in the state of Arizona.

Noem said fentanyl deaths in the country dropped sharply in the first year of President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

"Fentanyl deaths have gone down 30%. We can't wait to continue to keep working to save more American lives," she added.

Last month, Trump signed an executive order to combat drug addiction and substance abuse, calling the issue one of the most serious challenges facing the nation.