Two individuals are now in police custody following a significant drug bust in the Bronx's Belmont neighborhood, where a staggering 12 kilograms of fentanyl were discovered inside an apartment, according to law enforcement officials.

The alarming incident took place at 780 Garden Street, between Prospect Avenue and Southern Boulevard, an address which is also home to two day care centers operating within the building. The bust transpired on yesterday evening after an undercover drug buy led to the apprehension of two men by a task force comprising members from the NYPD, state police, and the DEA – this development was noted by ABC7 New York.

The substance, identified as fentanyl, is considered so hazardous that even minimal exposure can prove lethal, particularly to children. The proximity of the narcotics to a daycare center has amplified community concerns. As reported by News 12 The Bronx, FDNY Hazmat, EMS, and firefighters were dispatched to the scene to manage potential exposure and to ensure safety procedures were adequately followed.

The reaction to the bust was one of disbelief and dismay among local residents. "I'm in shock. I'm in shock. I've got 16 years living in this place, never heard something like that, never," Alicia Quinones, a local resident, told ABC7 New York. Concerns grew further due to the recall, of an incident last year involving a toddler's death from fentanyl exposure at another daycare center in the Bronx.

In a hazardous situation that put even first responders at risk, two officers fell ill due to the exposure during the drug bust, with one NYPD detective treated on the scene and a state police trooper receiving medical attention at St. Barnabas Hospital. The two men arrested in connection to the fentanyl find are currently held in NYPD custody but may soon face federal charges owing to the significant quantity of the drug involved.