In a staggering blow to drug traffickers, Arizona State Troopers have seized an astonishing 1,576 pounds of fentanyl in a six-month operation ending March 22. This considerable haul has taken the equivalent of over 7 million lethal pills off the streets—highlighting the scale of the narcotics crisis that continues to grip the nation.
In a series of busts on March 27, AZDPS troopers in Phoenix made a significant dent in the drug trade, intercepting 28.85 pounds of fentanyl pills and sizable quantities of other drugs. In less than six hours, officers also confiscated narcotics including 165 pounds of methamphetamine, two pounds of heroin, and over one pound of cocaine, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The busts further yielded five firearms, four vehicles, and over $20,000 in suspected drug money.
The six suspects arrested in these high-stakes operations are now facing a slew of state and federal charges. Their apprehension marks a victory in the ongoing war against a drug epidemic that has ravaged communities across Arizona—reverberating far beyond to cities like Chicago and Albuquerque, where some of the intercepted drugs were allegedly destined.
Notably, the largest single seizure involved a commercial vehicle stop in Eloy earlier this year, from which troopers recovered 208 pounds of fentanyl, a stash with a street value exceeding $1 million. The consistent law enforcement pressure has led to 32 separate seizures exceeding 10 pounds, a clear indicator of organized, large-scale trafficking operations. The AZDPS has expressed gratitude for the crucial support from federal, state, and local partners in these investigations.
As the deadly tide of fentanyl continues to flow, the Department of Public Safety urges the public to be acutely aware of the inherent dangers of illicit pills. Citing DEA lab testing, the department warns that a shocking seven out of 10 fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills contain potentially fatal doses of the drug. Moreover, some pills confiscated have tested positive for xylazine, adding an even greater risk of fatal overdose.
