Federal drug authorities say South Dakota is following a national trend in seeing more fentanyl powder, but a decrease in counterfeit pills.
A new report from the Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA, said the state saw a 43 percent increase in fentanyl powder seizures in 2025. But that was roughly matched by a 41 decrease in counterfeit pill seizures.
A DEA statement said this is part of a shift from drug cartels. It’s cheaper and easier for them to distribute powder versus pills.
“These numbers should further enforce the fact that fentanyl knows no boundaries,” DEA Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie said. “Too often we think the Midwest is insulated from the effects of this poison impacting cities along the coasts. This couldn’t be further from the truth as cities from Mitchell to Rapid City have faced their own fight against a substance that continues to take lives and destroy families.”
The report also said agents also saw a rise in methamphetamine and cocaine seizures in South Dakota last year. More than 300 pounds of meth were seized in 2025 along with close to 40 pounds of cocaine.