Law enforcement officials in Arizona seized more than 50 pounds of fentanyl pills from a single person in Phoenix.
The officers found an initial supply of 17 pounds of the lethal drug during a traffic stop in a 21-year-old driver’s vehicle. Furthermore, an additional search warrant of the driver’s residence yielded even more results.
“Detectives then obtained a search warrant for her Phoenix residence, where more than 35 pounds of suspected fentanyl pills were also seized. In total, detectives seized 53 pounds of fentanyl pills with an estimated street value of $1.2 million,” the press release from the Arizona Department of Public Safety detailed.
Based on information from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal. The Department of Public Safety noted that “four out of every ten pills laced with fentanyl contain at least 2 milligrams of the synthetic opioid, a potentially lethal dose.”
Therefore, assuming those figures hold, 40 percent of the amount seized by the Arizona detectives in the state’s capital is enough fatal doses of the synthetic opioid to potentially kill more than 4 million people, more than half of the state’s entire population. However, the batch of pills has the potential to be even deadlier.
“Incredible work by @Arizona_DPS. Our State Troopers show yet again they are best-in-class law enforcement officers as they keep dangerous drugs out of our communities,” Arizona Governor Doug Ducey responded in a tweet.
Earlier this month, officials recovered more than 17 pounds of fentanyl pills during a traffic stop on Interstate 10 outside of Marana.
State officials have blamed the federal government for a lack of effort to secure the southern border, which could help curb the flow of illegal drugs into the country.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for the Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Fentanyl Pills” by Arizona Department of Public Safety.
