A joint investigation by the Modesto Narcotics Enforcement Team (MNET) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has culminated in the arrest of four individuals implicated in a trafficked network of counterfeit Oxycodone pills in Stanislaus County. According to a social media post by the Modesto Police Department, these pills are designed to mimic legitimate prescription drugs but are unlawfully produced with fentanyl, an extremely potent and hazardous synthetic opioid. On May 29, law enforcement conducted several search warrants in Modesto and succeeded in arresting four suspects involved in a large-scale drug operation.
The recent operation not only led to apprehensions but also resulted in the confiscation of more than 10 pounds of M30 fentanyl pills and over 11 pounds of precursor chemical powder, used to produce such illicit substances. Bail for the individuals apprehended was set at a collective $7,000,000. One of the suspects was arrested in Bakersfield, California, and is to be duly transported back to Stanislaus County to stand trial.
The four men facing criminal charges are 39-year-old Fernando Sanchez Galindo, 46-year-old Arturo Garcia, 31-year-old Randon Foreman, all from Modesto, CA, and 38-year-old Oliver Lopez from Bakersfield, CA. The charges include possession of controlled substances with the intent to sell, criminal conspiracy, operating a drug house, possession of marijuana for sale, among other charges related to drug trafficking. Both Sanchez Galindo and Garcia are facing enhancements for large-scale drug trafficking.
Expressing their gratitude for the support from various departments in this extensive investigation, Modesto Police Department and the FBI acknowledged the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Turlock Police Department, Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office, and the Stanislaus County Probation Department in their public statement. These arrests and seizures represent a concerted effort to clamp down on the flow of deadly illegal drugs in the community, especially fentanyl, which continues to contribute significantly to overdose deaths nationwide.
