Fentanyl overdose deaths plummeted across three New Orleans-area parishes in recent years, law enforcement officials said Monday as they touted progress by a federally-led task force targeting distributors of the powerful synthetic opioid.

The task force, led by agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration who partnered with sheriff's offices, police departments and prosecutors across the north and south shores, reported as high as a 70% drop in overdose deaths between 2023 and 2025 in St. Tammany Parish. Washington Parish registered a 58.5% reduction over the same period, while Tangipahoa Parish also saw its number of deaths cut in half.

The steep drop in fentanyl deaths in the region mirrors national trends. Overdose deaths dropped nationally by 24% in the 12 months ending

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