Large quantities of Fentanyl and Other Narcotics Seized in California Drug Busts
During a traffic stop in Sacramento County, officials found 66 pounds of fentanyl in one operation.
Law enforcement officers recently made several arrests from Northern California to the Mexico border and seized fentanyl-laced pills, marijuana, guns, and ammunition in various incidents, according to officials.
Officers from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and detectives from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department discovered 330,000 fentanyl-laced pills during a traffic stop in Northern California, as announced by the CHP on Nov. 1.
A routine traffic violation stop in October led a CHP officer and a Sacramento County sheriff’s detective to the discovery of over 66 pounds of M30 pills, which contain fake medicinal ingredients, as reported by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
According to the CHP’s social media post, the DEA states that just a few milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal. The amount of pills seized in this operation is enough to create 10 to 15 million lethal doses, which could kill a quarter of California’s population.
The driver from Washington state, unnamed by authorities, was arrested and booked into Yolo County jail near Sacramento.
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This arrest was part of CHP’s collaboration with a task force involving the sheriff’s office and the Placer County District Attorney’s Office to combat drug trafficking on highways.
The CHP praised K9 Ronan and the team for their efforts in enhancing the safety of highways and neighborhoods.
Operation Folsom Blues
Additional drug-related arrests took place in the region on Friday and Saturday as Folsom police led multiple agencies in Operation Folsom Blues.
The operation targeted street-level drug dealers who were allegedly distributing fentanyl and other drugs through online marketplaces and social media.
Officers and deputies from Sacramento County, Citrus Heights, El Dorado County, Placer County, the CHP, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security used undercover accounts to set up drug transactions.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office reported on Monday that several alleged dealers were apprehended in a Facebook post.
Authorities seized nearly 400 pounds of marijuana in Operation Folsom Blues, officials reported Nov. 4.
Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department
The 15 individuals arrested were warned that they could face murder charges if any fentanyl-laced drugs led to fatalities.
The suspects apprehended in the operation included individuals from various locations.
Most of those taken into custody have been released on bail or on their own recognizance, as per the sheriff’s department.
Law enforcement confiscated cash, pills, cocaine, methamphetamine, and recovered a significant amount of fentanyl in the operation.
According to the sheriff’s department, the amount of fentanyl recovered could result in twice the number of lethal doses for Folsom’s population.
Per the DEA, laboratory tests show that seven out of every ten pills seized by the agency contain deadly levels of fentanyl.
San Diego Airport
Border Patrol officers at the San Diego International Airport seized significant amounts of marijuana, firearms, and ammunition in multiple incidents, according to a press release from Friday.
Customs and Border Protection agents check pedestrians as they exit Mexico into the customs area of the United States on Nov. 19, 2018.
Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times
The officers discovered marijuana, firearms, and ammunition as part of their enforcement operations.
In five separate incidents, nearly 400 pounds of marijuana, alongside firearms, magazines, and ammunition, were heading for international destinations, according to the Border Patrol.
All suspects were handed over to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for further investigation.
Mariza Marin, the port director for the San Ysidro Port of Entry overseeing airport operations, stated, “The results of these enforcement operations at the San Diego International Airport illustrate our commitment to safeguarding communities and the traveling public.”
