FRANKFORT, KY (March 31, 2025) – Attorney General Russell Coleman led a coalition of 25 state attorneys general asking the Trump Administration to close a loophole used by adversaries and drug traffickers to flood deadly fentanyl into the United States.
In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem and Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Pete Flores, the attorneys general call for greater scrutiny of an import pilot program called Entry Type 86, which allows small packages to enter the U.S. with minimal customs screening.
In just a 10-year period, imports under the Entry Type 86 program skyrocketed from 153 million packages in 2015 to over 1.2 billion in 2024. Any surge of this magnitude requires further study because of serious concerns about the amount of fentanyl and other deadly drugs that could be coming into the country. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid narcotic up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. As little as two milligrams of fentanyl – smaller than the tip of a pencil – can be lethal.
In addition, some shippers use the Entry Type 86 program to dodge regulations and avoid paying required duties, raising concerns about security risks, illegal trade and weaknesses in our supply chain.
“From urban Louisville to our most rural counties, Kentuckians are being poisoned by deadly fentanyl flooding in from overseas. We need to use every lawful tool at our disposal to stop it,” said Attorney General Coleman. “We live in a time where as little as one pill can, and is, killing our loved ones, employees and neighbors. With no margin for error, we must address loopholes like this. Fellow Attorneys General across the country are proudly standing with President Trump and his Administration in the fight against the deadly flow of illicit fentanyl into our communities.”
The drug epidemic, driven by fentanyl, is the worst man-made disaster in Kentucky history. In 2023, the Commonwealth reported 1,984 drug overdose fatalities. Fentanyl was the leading cause, accounting for approximately 79%, or 1,570, of these deaths. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to combat fentanyl distribution and abuse within the state.
Attorney General Coleman sent the letter alongside attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.
###
