A Westland man is behind bars after Detroit-area narcotics investigators say they hit the jackpot in a targeted drug raid, turning up hundreds of Suboxone strips, more than an ounce of methamphetamine, a sizable stash of fentanyl, a firearm and over $10,000 in cash.
The suspect, described by investigators as a convicted felon who lives in Westland, was lodged pending review by prosecutors. Authorities said the operation stemmed from a focused probe into alleged drug trafficking in the area.
What officers found
As reported by MLive, detectives recovered 481 Suboxone strips, roughly 128 grams of fentanyl and more than an ounce of crystal methamphetamine during the search. Investigators also recovered one firearm and said they seized over $10,000 in cash and assets with the intent to forfeit.
Who led the operation
The investigation was led by the Michigan State Police's Metro Narcotics Enforcement Team (MNET), with assistance from the Metro South Post, the Canton Police Department and Downriver SWAT. MNET is one of the state's multijurisdictional narcotics task forces that coordinates state, county and local partners across Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties, per the Michigan State Police.
What comes next
Police say the suspect was lodged pending prosecutor review and could face criminal charges depending on the Wayne County prosecutor's decision, as reported by MLive. The cash and other assets seized will be processed through civil forfeiture procedures that investigators said are standard following large narcotics seizures.
Why it matters
The bust lands in the middle of a string of multiagency operations across Metro Detroit in which task forces and local police have recovered large quantities of fentanyl, pressed pills and cash as authorities try to disrupt local supply chains. For example, Michigan State Police's MNET helped seize more than $200,000 worth of narcotics in a separate Wayne County investigation earlier this spring, authorities told CBS Detroit.
