(The Center Square) – Arizona authorities seized nearly 2,000 pounds of meth, fentanyl pills, and powder upon using a search warrant from the Arizona Financial Crimes Task Force last week.
When law enforcement stopped a vehicle and they discovered 50 pounds of meth, it turned out to be the tip of the iceberg, as it prompted the warrant for a Phoenix area home, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
Authorities seized 1,609 pounds of meth, 161 fentanyl pills, and 47 pounds of powder of the presumably lethal drug. According to authorities, it’s worth over $3.4 million in “street value” in the Grand Canyon State.
“This seizure represents a significant disruption to the flow of dangerous drugs into our communities,” Colonel Jeffrey Glover, Director of AZDPS, said in a statement.
“The sheer amount of methamphetamine and fentanyl recovered underscores the ongoing battle we are fighting against drug traffickers who profit from addiction and suffering. Our department remains committed to dismantling these criminal organizations and keeping Arizonans safe,” he continued.
Although the news release did not state where the drugs originated from, drug trafficking continues to be a major focus from law enforcement at all levels of government and one of the few areas that seems to garner bipartisan support in the border and crime discussion. Arizona is considered a national hub for the smuggling of meth and fentanyl.
“The criminals behind these drugs are ruthless, and they have no regard for the destruction they leave behind,” Special Agent in Charge Cheri Oz of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Phoenix Field Division said in a statement.
“This seizure represents lives saved and a direct hit to the criminal networks flooding our neighborhoods with poison. The DEA will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of these deadly drugs and bring those responsible to justice,” Oz added.
The state Department of Public Safety regularly announces drug seizures.
