Los Angeles Addiction Treatment Center on California’s Recent Record Breaking Meth Seizure

Los Angeles, California -

Los Angeles, CA – Federal agents' record-setting seizure of methamphetamine is good news for the fight against the illegal drug trade. But while applauding the confiscation, Muse Treatment also sees it as a reminder that the tragedy of meth addiction has not diminished.

Muse, an addiction treatment center based in Los Angeles, urges healthcare and political leaders to continue seeking solutions that remove the demand for meth and other drugs, feeding a disturbing rise in overdose deaths.

According to news reports, a group of Mexican nationals brought the drug into the U.S. from Otay Mesa, near Tijuana. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California said agents saw the men remove dozens of cardboard boxes from the truck and place them in a Dodge van. They said the two vehicles contained about 148 bundles of a material that tested positive for meth, weighing more than 5,000 pounds, which they called “record-breaking” and said may be one of San Diego County’s largest meth busts in history.

The four men were arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, classified as a schedule II controlled substance due to its high potential for dependency and recreational abuse. If convicted, the men face stiff penalties, including a minimum of 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine.

“This monumental seizure represents another win against drug cartels that fuel addiction in the United States,” said Shelly S. Howe, DEA Special Agent in Charge, in a statement issued with the U.S. Attorney’s announcement of the bust. “Because of our great partnerships with other law enforcement agencies, we will continue to disrupt the cartels’ flow of drugs into our cities.”

The bust comes at a crisis point in the meth situation. Deaths connected to meth use spiked by nearly 180% from 2015 to 2019, according to a study published recently in JAMA Psychiatry, a journal of the American Medical Association. Meth represents a large share of deaths from all drug overdoses. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 96,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2020. Of those, about 15-20% involved methamphetamines.

Like opioids, much of the methamphetamine supply is being contaminated by the synthetic opioid fentanyl, which experts say is fueling the rapid rise in meth overdoses. In the wake of these troubling findings, addiction experts have called for more research and funding for effective methamphetamine treatment.

Meth is one of the substances that Muse Treatment targets in its treatment of drug and alcohol addiction and related mental health disorders. Meth treatment programs begin with medically supervised detox to rid the body of drug toxins. Both residential and outpatient rehab are offered as part of the full continuum of care. Residential treatment provides structure and security as clients confront the complex issues presented by their addiction without the distractions and pressures of daily life. In addition, it is a safe space where clients are helped to discover the underlying causes of their addiction. Outpatient rehab supports patients as they apply what they learn in rehab in their day-to-day lives. Treatment programs include behavioral therapy, 12 Step integration, and even virtual therapy. They are custom-designed for each client’s individual needs, working through the unique physical, psychological and neurological challenges posed by the disease of addiction. Treatment can last several weeks, months, or even longer, depending on the addiction’s severity and other factors.

Muse Treatment’s clinical team is made up of addiction treatment experts. It also provides a comfortable, compassionate environment where meth addiction can be overcome with the best treatment available.

Muse Treatment offers comprehensive treatment of drug and alcohol use disorders. For help for oneself or a loved one, call (800) 426-1818.