Arkansas State Police confiscates $2 million in fentanyl, gun after Pulaski County traffic stop

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A routine traffic stop turned into a significant drug arrest for Arkansas State Police on Monday.

A state police spokesperson said a trooper confiscated 50,000 fentanyl pills and a gun after stopping a car just after 8 a.m. between Protho Junction and the I-440 interchange. The street value of the pills is over $2 million, investigators said.

The trooper stopped the car for an improper lane change. The car was searched and 11.83 pounds of the pills packaged in plastic bags were found and the driver and passenger were arrested.

The synthetic opioid fentanyl is known to be especially toxic when abused. ASP Director Col. Mike Hagar praised the arrest and confiscation.

“There’s no telling how many lives were saved by taking such a massive quantity of this deadly substance out of circulation,” Hagar said.

According to the Arkansas Department of Public Safety, Arkansas State Police seized over 8,015 pounds of marijuana, 143 pounds of cocaine, 372 pounds of methamphetamine, 65.8 pounds of fentanyl, $996,100 in cash and 32 weapons in 2022.

from KARK https://ift.tt/LoEgUVX