WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) today introduced their Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act, which would help stop the production of counterfeit and fentanyl-laced pills and make it easier for federal law enforcement to take action against cartels’ illegal use of pill presses by requiring them to be engraved with serial numbers:

“Seven out of ten pills seized by the DEA are laced with a lethal dose of fentanyl, underscoring just how easy it is for this silent killer to permeate in our communities and take the lives of our innocent and unsuspecting loved ones,” said Sen. Cornyn. “By requiring the serialization of pill presses, this bill will help law enforcement better detect, trace, and prosecute the cartels who are using this machinery to produce these deadly pills.”

“Even as the Biden administration continues to crack down on fentanyl supply chains, there is more Congress can do to address the current leading cause of death for younger Americans,” said Sen. Coons. “The Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act will target an underappreciated but critical part of the fentanyl supply chain: pill press machines used for illicit purposes. I appreciate Sen. Cornyn’s leadership in developing this approach with me to help track pill presses in a way that properly accounts for the needs of law enforcement, legitimate businesses, and our communities.”

“Fentanyl has taken the lives of thousands of Americans and continues to be a leading cause of death in the United States,” said Sen. Moran. “By imposing penalties for removing or altering serial numbers on pill presses, law enforcement will be able to more effectively target those responsible for the production of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills and help prevent drug traffickers from flooding our country with these deadly fake pills.”

“Fentanyl has devastated families across Minnesota and this crisis is being fueled by those who use pill presses to make counterfeit drugs. We need to do more to fight traffickers and protect communities,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “This bipartisan legislation will require all pill presses to have a serial number, which will help law enforcement keep track of pill presses, fight counterfeit pill production, reduce overdoses, and ultimately save lives.”

Background:

In 2023, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) seized more than 80 million fentanyl-laced pills. With these illicit drugs on the rise, many cartels have gained access to the same type of pill presses used by pharmaceutical companies in order to create counterfeit pills that are often indistinguishable from real medication. The Controlled Substances Act currently requires companies to keep records on the distribution of pill press equipment, which helps the DEA track and seize pill presses used to manufacture fentanyl-laced pills. But while illicit pill presses have been seized in 43 states, many reports suggest these seizures only account for a small number of those being used by cartels.

The Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act would help the DEA and other federal law enforcement agencies solve crimes against drug trafficking and trace pill presses back to cartels by amending the Controlled Substances Act to require that all encapsulating machines or tableting machines be engraved with a serial number. The legislation would also impose criminal penalties for the removal or alteration of the serial number and for the transportation or possession of any pill press with a removed or altered serial number.

The legislation is endorsed by National HIDTA Directors Association, National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, Sergeants Benevolent NYPD, National District Attorneys Association, and CPAC.