Statement from Acting Commissioner Pete R. Flores on CBP’s support of Operation FREE 3.0

WASHINGTON — U.S. Customs and Border Protection is committed to supporting its partners in the launch of Operation FREE 3.0 (Fentanyl Awareness, Reduction, Enforcement, and Eradication), marking the third iteration of this groundbreaking multiagency initiative that has already resulted in thousands of arrests, seizures of hundreds of firearms, and tens of thousands of pounds of fentanyl.

CBP remains steadfast in our mission to protect the American people from the threat posed by fentanyl and other synthetic narcotics. Operation FREE 3.0 exemplifies CBP’s holistic, intelligence-driven, and community-focused strategy to confront the synthetic drug epidemic head-on.

Initially implemented in Virginia, Operation FREE brings together over 175 federal, state, and local agencies from 14 states in an unprecedented partnership to dismantle fentanyl trafficking networks, enhance public awareness, and protect American communities from the devastating impact of synthetic drugs.

Operation FREE 3.0 will leverage CBP’s frontline expertise, advanced intelligence capabilities, and extensive investigative resources. Through strategic collaboration, CBP will directly supply actionable intelligence to our partners, empowering them to effectively target criminal networks and reduce the availability of deadly synthetic drugs.

Every pound of fentanyl seized is potentially thousands of lives saved. We recognize the magnitude of this crisis, and our dedicated officers and agents, alongside our law enforcement partners, are fully committed to winning this battle. We will continue our relentless pursuit of these dangerous narcotics and those responsible for trafficking them.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We facilitate safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.