The West Tennessee Drug Task Force (WTDTF) found over $200 million worth of fentanyl in Shelby County on Thursday.
WTDTF shared a post on Facebook saying, “The investigation led to the discovery of 22 pounds of fentanyl and the arrest of three Kentucky men. This amount of fentanyl is enough to overdose the population of Shelby County nine times over. Fetanyl and fentanyl derived pills are deadly! Don’t even try it once! The agent who made the stop is assigned to the task force by Sheriff Garrett of Haywood County.”
According to the WTDTF, this is the largest fentanyl bust in west Tennessee. The agents pulled over a Nissan Maxima on I-40 for a false temporary tag and searched the vehicle after they grew suspicious of something else. They then found the 22 pounds of fentanyl hidden in a pillow in the car.
Drug Task Force Director Johnie Carter told Fox 13, “If this fentanyl were to be pressed into the popular yet deadly fentanyl pills, it could potentially make 22,000,000 1 mg tablets. The street value of these drugs is nearly $1 million in its powder form, but if pressed into fentanyl pills, they could sell for as much as $220 million.
According to the CDC, over 150 people die daily from fentanyl or other synthetic opioids.
The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services states on its website, “Fentanyl is a man-made opioid that’s many times stronger than morphine or heroin. Because it is so strong and so addictive, it’s being added to heroin, fake prescription pills, even stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine. The result is huge increases in overdoses, and sadly, more Tennesseans than ever dying. These deaths are preventable with knowledge and tools.”
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Kaitlyn Osteen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Send Kaitlyn tips at [email protected].
Photo “Fentanyl” by West Tennessee Drug Task Force – 28th,29th,30th.
Why do people buy and take illegal drugs? The only way to stop the drug poisoning is for there to be no one using the drugs. Makes too much sense for anyone to talk about. Much easier to put all the fault on the drug pushers.