Arizona police seize $9M worth of fentanyl in record bust

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Authorities in Arizona announced the seizure of $9 million worth of fentanyl pills.

>> Read more trending news

Scottsdale Police Department Chief Jeff Walther said during a news conference that a multi-agency investigation resulted in the collection of nearly 1.7 million pills of fentanyl from storage units and homes in the area, KNXV-TV reported.

“This is not a recreational drug,” Walther said during the news conference. “This is death.”

Walther said the drugs were “flowing like a river” into Arizona, KPNX-TV reported. He added that the drugs were having a “destabilizing” effect on the community, according to the television station.

Authorities also found 10 kilograms of powdered fentanyl and one pound of methamphetamine, KNXV reported.

“You’re talking about more than 4 million more pills that could have been made,” Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said during the news conference. “I want to put that in context. We’re talking about 6 million fentanyl pills. That is enough to kill more than half the population of the state of Arizona.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Arizona Attorney General’s Office were involved in the investigation, according to KPNX.

“During the two-month surge, we seized 3 million pills, 45 kilos of fentanyl powders, over 35 firearms, and arrested over 40 drug traffickers,” DEA Special Agent Cheri Oz said during the news conference.

Over the past two months, officials have seized 3 million fentanyl pills, 45 kilograms of fentanyl powder and more than 35 firearms, according to KTAR Radio.

Oz said the DEA has seized more than 9.5 million fentanyl pills in Arizona this year.

©2021 Cox Media Group