By Bobby Falat
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – Over the past nine months in Cass County, authorities say they have seen an alarming trend that involves the use of illegal drugs.
According to the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, in 2025 so far, there has been an increase in the amount of fentanyl powder, methamphetamine, and the number of firearms seized connected to drug use.
“We’re seeing a little bit of a decline in the M30 pills, but we’re seeing an increase in fentanyl powder coming into our communities,” said Sheriff Jesse Jahner, Cass County Sheriff’s Office.
Data from the North Dakota BCI shows that from January 1 to September 30, there have been 917 grams of fentanyl seized compared to 143 grams in 2024.
The amount of cocaine seized is 800 grams, down dramatically compared to 2024 when there were 15,019 grams confiscated. Grams of Methamphetamine seized in 2025 are currently 10,312. 3,000 more than in 2024.
“Meth has been on the increase over the last couple of years; we’re starting to get a lot more meth coming into our community,” Jahner said. For a while, we saw a decrease in that, but now we’re seeing an increase.”
According to the Fargo Police Department, the number of overdoses they have responded to in 2025 is on pace to be higher than the past four years combined.
“If that trend continues through the end of the year, we are going to surpass the annual total of overdoses compared to what we’ve seen in the previous four years,” said Lieutenant Tom Shaw, Fargo Police Department. “That’s a big concern for us.”
While those numbers are currently what’s being seen in Cass County, the work outside the city and county limits is even greater.
According to the North Dakota BCI, 1,276 grams of cocaine, 452 grams of M30 pills, 238 grams of fentanyl powder, and 272,819 grams of methamphetamine have been confiscated before they could get into the city limits.
Authorities credit the work of all agencies that have officers or deputies a part of the Cass County Drug Task Force.
“We want to be able to share information amongst all agencies and collaborate resources,” said Sheriff Jahner. “That’s probably our best tactic that we have is just all of our agencies working together. Because if someone is distributing narcotics in Fargo, that’s not just going to stop at the city limits, that’s going to trickle into West Fargo, into the county.”
According to the DEA Omaha Division, agents are looking to get rid of a drug cartel presence in Fargo that involves the Sinaloa Cartel.
“Vast amounts of narcotics are getting funneled throughout the United States via cartels,“ said Shaw. ”Now, whether that is because we have cartel members in specific areas of the country or just because it’s the end point of where those narcotics go, in that sense, the end point of where narcotic trafficking ends up could be the Fargo-Moorhead area, then yes, there could be cartel presence if you look at it in that sake.“
So far in 2025, authorities have closed out 143 cases involving illegal drugs, have conducted 102 search warrants, and have conducted 31 controlled purchases. Authorities have seized 32 firearms in 19 cases.
