Police in Arizona seized enough fentanyl last week to kill nearly 800,000 people. The drugs, which were being transported in a 1989 Ford pickup truck, were intercepted nearly 150 miles north of the state's border with Mexico.
All of that fentanyl could have hit the streets had it not been for an accident. Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) officers responded Thursday, February 16 to a call reporting a vehicle collision on I-10 in Sacaton, about 146 miles from Nogales, Mexico.
According to officers, the driver of the vehicle lost control of the car. This car rolled over and the driver was ejected, sustaining potentially life-threatening injuries. While emergency services dealt with the driver, police conducted a quick investigation and found numerous bags of fentanyl hidden in the vehicle.
--Arizona State Troopers Seize Approximately 286 Pounds of Suspected Fentanyl Pills Following Crash on Interstate 10 in Sacaton--
Read our full news release here: https://t.co/g2ATmRCHZH#AZTroopers #CourteousVigilance pic.twitter.com/bGDbHi8q5w
— Dept. of Public Safety (@Arizona_DPS) February 21, 2023
1,297,000 seized fentanyl pills
In total, they seized approximately 286 pounds distributed in nearly 1.3 million fentanyl pills that, on the street, would have an estimated street value of $5.1 million.
Considering that 2 mg of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose, Arizona police said the 1,297,000 pills intercepted are enough to kill 778,200 people. Just the news reported that it could wipe out "the entire individual populations of every town and city in Arizona except for Phoenix."
According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, fentanyl not only affects Arizona, but is a serious recurring problem throughout the United States:
Unfortunately, incidents like this are an all-too-common occurrence for law enforcement agencies in Arizona and across the country. AZDPS troopers will continue working hard every day to combat the illegal smuggling and distribution of drugs such as fentanyl, undoubtedly saving many lives in the process.
