ORLANDO, Fla. —
Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke during a news conference Tuesday afternoon in Orlando, announcing the latest results from a yearslong state effort to curtail fentanyl deaths.
DeSantis discussed highlights of the State Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication (S.A.F.E.) in Florida grant program, established in 2023 to bolster law enforcement’s ability to combat illegal fentanyl activity — via investigations or otherwise — by providing reimbursement for the following, as they relate to such investigations:
OvertimeRelevant Travel CostsPurchase of Investigative SuppliesEquipment Purchases (must be pre-approved by the FDLE S.A.F.E. Executive Board via Funding Request Form)Relevant Contractual ServicesTraining Costs (must be pre-approved by the FDLE S.A.F.E. Executive Board via Funding Request Form)Other Costs Associated with Cases Focusing on Fentanyl Eradication
Since the S.A.F.E. in Florida program was established in 2023, DeSantis said in-state fentanyl deaths have fallen by almost 60%. This is an improvement from last year, when DeSantis announced a figure of 46% during a news conference that September.
The governor mentioned, too, the recent successes of anti-drug-trafficking operations “Icebreaker,” “End of Worlds,” “Hall of Fame” and others.
“And so on and on it goes with a whole bunch of successes for this. I think we’ve sent the appropriate deterrence message: that you shouldn’t be doing this in the United States, but if you are going to do it, you do not want to do it in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis was joined Tuesday by Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Sara Carter and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Larry Keefe.
>>Full news conference in video player below: