Border officials say a police dog helped border patrol agents sniff out $2m worth of smuggled fentanyl. The seized drug was so large in quantity it could kill 48 million people, the officials said.
The incident happened during a routine traffic stop in Arizona, USA.
The Chief Patrol Agent of Yuma Sector, Patricia McGurk-Daniel, disclosed this via her Twitter handle.
According to her, the seizure occurred at a checkpoint along Interstate 8 near Yuma.
She had tweeted: “Following a K9 alert, Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents found more $2 million worth of fentanyl at a checkpoint along Interstate 8 near Yuma. The narcotics totaled more than 192 pounds [87.0897kg], enough to kill 48 million people. #TheNoseKnows #OnePillCanKill #YumaSector.”
McGurk-Daniel shared photos that show packets of the deadly drug apparently hidden inside car seats. The drug was also found hidden inside the gas tank of the car.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as an analgesic (pain relief) and anesthetic. It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin as an analgesic.
The DEA states that, in 2022 alone, it “seized more than 58.3 million fentanyl-laced fake pills and more than 13,000 pounds [5,896.7kg] of fentanyl powder. The 2022 seizures are equivalent to more than 387 million lethal doses of fentanyl.
So far this year, “the 2023 fentanyl seizures represent over 167.8 million deadly doses,” the agency states.
Fentanyl street names
The drug’s street names include: Apace, China Girl, China Town, Dance Fever, Friend, Goodfellas, Great Bear, He-Man, Jackpot, King Ivory, Murder 8, Poison and Tango & Cash
How is it abused?
Experts say fentanyl is abused in various ways, such as snorted/sniffed, smoked, orally by pill or tablet, spiked onto blotter paper, patches, sold alone or in combination with heroin and other substances.
It has also been identified in fake pills, mimicking pharmaceutical drugs such as oxycodone.
Effects on the body
Similar to other opioid analgesics, teh DEA says, fentanyl produces effects such as: relaxation, euphoria, pain relief, sedation, confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, urinary retention, pupillary constriction, and respiratory depression.
Overdose effects
Overdose may result in stupor, changes in pupillary size, cold and clammy skin, cyanosis, coma, and respiratory failure leading to death.
“The presence of triad of symptoms such as coma, pinpoint pupils, and respiratory depression are strongly suggestive of opioid poisoning,” DEA added.
