South Cook News

Illinois House of Representatives District 30 candidate Patricia Bonk is pushing for more proactive measures that would address the state’s worsening fentanyl crisis. 

Bonk is ringing the alarm in regard to the increased incursion of dangerous drugs into local communities. 

“An exorbitant amount of Fentanyl has crossed over our border,” Bonk told South Cook News.

In fact, according to a recent DEA report, fentanyl-related deaths are escalating, with 80% of street-level drugs in Chicago linked to the Sinaloa cartel. 

“The data clearly shows the dominance of these cartels and the critical need for proactive measures,” Bonk said. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Illinois ranked seventh among the states with the most drug overdose deaths in 2022. 

Drawing from her 30 years as an emergency department nurse in which she treated overdose patients, Bonk emphasized the need to curb the influx of fentanyl. 

“Having seen the tragic outcomes of drug abuse firsthand, I firmly believe that advanced technology, such as drones, can play a crucial role in tackling this public health crisis,” she said. 

Bonk’s comments come in response to recent drug enforcement successes, including a significant seizure by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office. Gloria Gastelum, 54, and German Vargas, 22, both from Tucson, Arizona, were arrested in Marengo while transporting 120,000 fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone—one of the largest drug busts in the region this year. 

“The scale of these operations and the sheer volume of fentanyl being smuggled is alarming,” Bonk said. 

This seizure follows another major bust in McHenry County involving two Mexican nationals caught with 17 kilos of methamphetamine and fentanyl. 

Bonk will face State Rep. Will Davis (D-Homewood) in the general election on Nov. 5. 

Davis currently holds the representative seat for the Illinois House of Representatives District 30, which includes parts of south and west Cook County, including the communities of Dolton, Harvey, Markham, Midlothian, Oak Forest, South Holland, Homewood and Flossmoor. 

Critics have pointed to the Biden Administration’s “Open Border” policies as creating the conditions for cartels to thrive. 

As Vice President Kamala Harris campaigns for president, her opponent, former president Donald Trump and Republicans have shifted blame for current immigration issues onto her, accusing her of mishandling border policies. 

This pivot highlights her past criticisms of Trump's immigration practices and her role as the Biden administration's "border czar” which she has sought to distance herself from after an estimated 10.5-13 million undocumented aliens entered the country under her watch.