Drug Cartel Resorts To Using Travis Kelce's Name To Push Fentanyl, DEA Warns

Not all publicity is good publicity for Travis Kelce, as the Kansas City Chiefs superstar's name is being used to market fentanyl.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently unveiled a diabolical scheme to lure youngsters into taking the powerful synthetic opioid. Cartel groups are believed to be promoting their illicit drugs using Kelce's fame amid his team's victory at the Super Bowl.

Following the success of the Chiefs against the 49ers at the Super Bowl, the DEA seized little white bags featuring the NFL player's name and a grainy picture of a football player.

They announced their shocking findings on X, sharing a picture of the fentanyl-filled bags alongside a warning. “This fentanyl was just seized on the East Coast. Drug traffickers will even take advantage of #SBLVIII hype to appeal to new customers,” the DEA explained.

“It's important to spread the #OnePillCanKill message,” the message continued, noting that DEA reps spent the week in Las Vegas working with the NFL Alumni Health to tackle the issue. However, the drug bust wasn't made in Sin City but in New York.

The DEA believes these drug bags with Kelce's name were filled with fentanyl, meth, and cocaine. They suspect cartels are likely using the football tight-end player to reach a young and vulnerable market.

Officials are yet to uncover which cartel is responsible for promoting their drugs with Kelce's name. However, the Sinaloa Cartel has the most significant presence in New York, per The Daily Mail. Nonetheless, the Super Bowl-themed marketing technique is concerning, given the history of drugs in the United States.

Illicit drugs are reportedly the number one cause of preventable deaths for 18-45-year-olds in the US, with over 110,000 people dead from overdoses in 2022 alone. 70% of these deaths were caused by fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.

It is important to note that while cartels chose Kelce as their poster boy, he has never been linked to any illicit drug. During his college years at Cincinnati, he made waves by getting suspended for a year in 2010 after testing positive for marijuana.

However, marijuana is not an illicit drug in the United States, and the NFL also raised its threshold for a positive marijuana test from 35 nanograms to 150 in 2021 and stopped testing for it in the offseason.

Just days before becoming the poster boy for drug traffickers, Kelce made waves for packing on the PDA with his stunning girlfriend, Taylor Swift. The couple turned heads at the XS Nightclub in Wynn, Las Vegas, celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory.

The XS Nightclub welcomed partygoers with over-the-top treatment, including LED screens that read “XS welcomes 2024 champs.” Red and yellow confetti fell from the ceiling while the famous Queen's track “We Are The Champions” blasted from the speakers.

The party featured several celebrities, including Swift's close friends Miles Teller and Blake Lively, Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes, and his wife Brittany Mahomes. Travis's brother, Jason Kelce, also attended the event.

However, Kelce and Swift stole the spotlight when they arrived hand-in-hand around 2:15 a.m. The pop icon rocked her beau's sequined jacket, which he wore on the way into the stadium earlier that day.

The lovebirds flaunted their romance on the dance floor with passionate kisses and couldn't keep their hands to themselves. After heating up the night in the club's private VIP area, they moved to the DJ booth and joined Wynn Nightlife resident artist Marshmello.

There, the couple partied with their pals, the Mahomes. Patrick caused a stir with Kelce by jumping on stage and having a blast while singing, dancing, and drinking. Meanwhile, their significant others got cozy with Swift and Brittany, hugging, smiling, and dancing to the singer's hit track, “Love Story.”

The Mahomes kept partying until 3:30 a.m. While Kelce, Swift, and the remaining Kansas City Chiefs clan stayed up all night — going until 5:15 a.m. The power couple reportedly didn't end their merriment without a special delivery of chicken fingers and fries.