(NewsNation) — Mexican drug cartels are expanding their reach to Hawaii, flooding the islands with methamphetamine and fentanyl, according to recent reports.
The remote location and limited law enforcement resources make Hawaii an attractive target for powerful cartels like Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Drugs are smuggled through various routes, including air passengers’ luggage, mailed packages and body carriers flying into Honolulu.
The lack of competition allows cartels to charge higher prices. An oxycodone pill selling for $2 in Los Angeles can fetch $16 or more in Hawaii.
This influx has contributed to a surge in fentanyl overdose deaths. Hawaii ranked seventh nationally with a 27% increase in fentanyl-related deaths in 2023, according to Families Against Fentanyl.
Authorities are responding to the crisis. Dennis Francis Kaleohano Kelly of Tucson, Arizona, was recently sentenced to 14 years in prison for distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine to Hawaii and New Mexico.
He had been arrested in 2021 after receiving a shipment of 10,000 fentanyl pills from a drug courier.
Honolulu has mandated that bars, nightclubs and restaurants carry the anti-overdose medication Narcan. The state is also implementing a five-year plan to promote comprehensive mental health and drug addiction treatments.