Arizona and Oregon law enforcement have dealt a significant blow to the distribution of fentanyl in the southwest, seizing hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills in separate raids. In Arizona, the combined effort of the state Attorney General's Office, the Tempe Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration yielded over half-a-million fentanyl pills and $66,000 in cash.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes hailed the operation as a decisive action in the ongoing war on drugs. "This operation is a significant step forward in our ongoing fight against criminal drug distribution in our state," Mayes said, according to a press release by 12News. "The collaboration between my office and our local and federal law enforcement partners has been vital to our efforts at keeping this deadly drug off our streets. We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law."
Meanwhile in Oregon, the Washington County Sheriff's Office worked on a tip from California authorities to intercept a car headed for Portland, suspected of transporting a large batch of fentanyl. Investigators recovered more than 150,000 fentanyl pills and three kilograms of powdered fentanyl from a residence, aided by a K-9 unit. The seized narcotics have a street value totalling approximately $575,000.
"California officials said the vehicle was likely trafficking a large amount of fentanyl," stated the Sheriff's Office. The successful seizure represents a concerted effort across state lines to stem the flow of this lethal substance, as reported by azfamily.com.
