More Cal Guard troops deployed to border to fight drug trafficking

By Bailey O'Carroll and Greg Lee

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Effective immediately, more California National Guard troops are being deployed to border crossings with Mexico to fight drug trafficking. 

As of Thursday, state officials said the number of Cal Guard troops at California's southern ports will go up 50 percent.

On average, there are 40 about soldiers at each port. Now, there will be 60.

This is all in an effort to stop the flow of drugs, especially fentanyl. into the state.

"Fentanyl is a deadly poison ripping families and communities apart," Gov. Newsom said in a statement. "California is cracking down — and today we’re going further by deploying more CalGuard soldiers to combat this crisis and keep our communities safe."

California officials say 65% of narcotics in the United States are trafficked through California's southern borders. 

The troops will be conducting secondary vehicle inspections to determine where the drugs are, according to Major General Matthew Beevers.  

Some of those inspections will include having cars go through an X-ray machine.

According to Beevers, this is not a counter-immigration mission, the soldiers' only role is to intercept narcotics.

Beevers said this will also free up border patrol agents and other law enforcement to focus on other important tasks.