Caption: The SPD photo shows some of the evidence seized this year from drug traffickers. The city’s recent crackdown on drug trafficking has led to a significant increase in the number of felony drug cases charged by the city.
Seattle police have charged more felony drug trafficking cases in the first three quarters of 2025 than in all of 2024, marking a 42% increase in prosecutions and underscoring the city’s dual strategy of law enforcement and public health investment to combat the fentanyl crisis.
According to Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and Police Chief Shon Barnes, arrests made by the Seattle Police Department (SPD) through September have led to 193 felony drug trafficking charges filed by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO)– 57 more than the total for all of 2024. Roughly 70% of the cases involve fentanyl, methamphetamine, or both, and about 20% also include charges of unlawful firearm possession due to prior convictions.
According to KCPAO data, felony drug trafficking prosecutions have steadily increased since 2021. In 2025, through September, 193 cases have already been filed. That compares to 136 cases in all of 2024, 177 in 2023, 152 in 2022, and just 80 in 2021.
“Our comprehensive approach to the fentanyl crisis is showing real results, helping keep our neighborhoods safe,” said Harrell. “We are aggressively targeting and arresting the drug traffickers and dealers who bring these deadly poisons into our city, and I am grateful for our strong partnership with King County prosecutors in holding offenders accountable. At the same time, we are investing significantly in treatment and recovery services because we know that addiction is a disease that requires help and treatment. This balanced strategy ensures we are responding with both the urgency and the tailored approach this crisis demands, creating a safer and healthier Seattle for all.”
In September, KCPAO filed multiple felony charges in a high-profile SPD investigation involving fentanyl, meth, and cocaine. The case also led to the seizure of $30,000 in cash, a .45 caliber handgun, and a .22 caliber rifle.
“Reducing the flow of illegal drugs in Seattle is critical to making the city as safe and welcoming as it can be for residents, workers, and visitors from the region and beyond,” said Chief Barnes. “That’s why I’m proud of the high-impact work that the women and men of the Seattle Police Department are doing with our partners to get illegal drugs off the city’s streets. The criminals out there should know that if they break the law, we will arrest them.”
Under KCPAO’s filing and disposition standards, felony drug trafficking charges require specific independent evidence clearly establishing intent to distribute. That evidence may include large drug quantities, packaging materials, digital scales, large sums of currency, or observed hand-to-hand transactions.
“I appreciate the good work and partnership of the Seattle Police Department in removing deadly drugs like fentanyl from our streets,” said King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion. “The people charged with drug dealing by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office are preying upon our King County communities—the drug dealers we charge often possess enough fentanyl to kill hundreds if not thousands of King County residents. We will continue to work hand in hand with our law enforcement partners to hold drug dealers accountable for distributing drugs such as fentanyl in our communities.”
The City’s enforcement strategy is being matched by significant investments in public health and substance use treatment. As of October 24, 2025, overdose deaths in Seattle have decreased by 18% compared to 2024 and by 41% compared to 2023, according to data from the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Last month, Mayor Harrell proposed a $40 million package to expand the city’s response to the opioid crisis. That proposal includes $1.6 million to grow the Seattle Fire Department’s post-overdose response unit, Health 99, with new staff, an ambulance, and a van for follow-up visits. Since launching in July 2023, Health 99 has responded to more than 1,630 overdoses citywide.
“Seattle firefighter/EMTs and paramedics continue to respond multiple times per day across the city to people experiencing overdoses,” said Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins. “Our Post Overdose Response Unit (Health 99) has proven to be a successful fire department model towards a public health approach of helping those in our community who are battling addiction.”
“Our team administers buprenorphine medication in the field, which temporarily stabilizes patients and provides short-term relief from withdrawal symptoms to allow our responders to better engage in conversations around treatment, recovery and social services,” Scoggins added.
Seattle was the first city in the nation to pilot buprenorphine administration in the field, and in September, SFD reached its 100th such patient encounter.
Other components of the Mayor’s proposal include:
• $2.9 million for detox and treatment services, launching through a funding process expected next year.
• $1.8 million to support the Thunderbird Treatment Center, a new 92-bed facility on Vashon Island operated by the Seattle Indian Health Board.
• $6 million for treatment programming in 2026 through the City’s contract with Public Health – Seattle & King County—a 23% increase over 2025.
In August, the DESC Opioid Recovery & Care Access (ORCA) Center opened downtown to provide 24/7 post-overdose stabilization for up to eight individuals. The project received a $3.37 million capital investment through federal Community Development Block Grant funding as part of a broader $27 million plan under Mayor Harrell’s Executive Order 2023-04 to address the synthetic drug crisis and support downtown revitalization.
Councilmember Bob Kettle, chair of the Public Safety Committee, praised the increase in felony prosecutions as evidence of coordinated progress.
“This increase in felony drug trafficking charges shows the collaborative progress the city and county have made in creating a safer Seattle,” said Kettle. “The Council’s strategic approach to public safety—using legal tools to combat felony crime, investing in drug treatment services and the CARE team to address public health, and working to create a more functional criminal justice system—is paying off. More work remains, and we are committed to continuing these efforts to support our impacted communities.”
Jon Scholes, president and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association, said visible enforcement and accessible treatment are key to a stronger city core.
“Under the leadership of Mayor Harrell and Chief Barnes, there’s an increased emphasis on intervention and interruption to combat the fentanyl crisis on our streets,” said Scholes. “We’re seeing more officers on foot and bike in the heart of downtown, and a multi-faceted approach that calls for accountability for those breaking the law and accessibility for those who need treatment. Continued progress on the drug crisis is critical for a healthy and vibrant downtown Seattle for all.”
