Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force are celebrating after announcing last week that the state has seen a historic decrease in crime and has intercepted 39,644 pounds of fentanyl and 54,585,907 fentanyl pills since 2021, with a combined estimated street value of $534 million.
“California is getting safer because of our sustained investment, strong partnerships, and effective strategies to disrupt the criminal networks that put Californians at risk,” Newsom said at the press conference. “Our National Guard members are doing exactly that, and we’re pairing that enforcement with treatment, prevention, and naloxone to help Californians stay healthy and save lives.”
On August 27, a CalGuard Counterdrug Task Force analyst received the 2026 U.S. Interdiction Coordinator Illicit Finance Award from the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy for outstanding analytical support.
“Protecting our communities requires relentless teamwork,” said California National Guard Major General Matthew P. Beevers. “With the additional state funding Governor Newsom secured in 2021, the California National Guard continues to provide vital support to law enforcement operations statewide, showcased by the national recognition our analyst earned for supporting last year’s historic operation.”
The recognition underscores the role CalGuard plays beyond individual drug seizures — using intelligence and financial analysis to help law enforcement identify and dismantle the networks moving drugs into California and across the country.
CalGuard Counterdrug Task Force members provide critical analytical, investigative, and logistical support to law enforcement partners, helping identify trafficking patterns, connect cases, and disrupt organized criminal networks.
Statistics provided by the governor’s office indicate that crime rates were down in several categories, including homicide (down 18.6 percent); robbery (-19.9 percent); property crime (-14.3 percent); auto theft (-25.8 percent); and violent crime (-10.2 percent). California’s homicide rate is now 3.5 per 100,000 — the lowest rate since statewide reporting began in 1966.
While the numbers are down, organized retail theft associated with street takeovers has been a consistent problem over the last few years, and Newsom is making it a priority to end it. In 2023, the Governor announced California’s largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime, providing more than $242 million to 38 law enforcement agencies through the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) to strengthen investigations, enforcement operations, technology, staffing, and partnerships with retailers.
That investment resulted in 35,907 arrests, 28,667 cases referred for prosecution, and more than $293.4 million in stolen property recovered.
The Los Angeles Police Department executed three search warrants related to an ongoing cargo theft investigation that led to the impoundment of 84 stolen container chassis and 25 vehicles, as well as the recovery of over $5 million in goods, which included multiple handguns and digital devices, and over $300,000 in US currency.
“California’s work to take on organized retail crime is working, with more arrests, more stolen goods recovered, and more criminals held accountable,” Newsom said. “It’s just another example of how we are keeping crime at record lows. We’re going to keep investing, keep enforcing, and keep making California even safer.”
