Border patrol agents in Arizona have seized almost 200 pounds of fentanyl worth $4.3 million on Wednesday, according to federal authorities.
Agents made the massive bust after they stopped a woman who was driving a white Chevy Equinox on a highway near Gila Bend, a town in Maricopa County, Arizona.
According to US Customs and Border Protection, the agents spotted black duffel bags in the back of the vehicle and noticed that the driver was “nervous” while being questioned.
Agents searched the woman’s vehicle and discovered several bags full of packages wrapped in black tape and cellophane coated in axle grease, officials said.
In total, border patrol agents recovered 340 packages of fentanyl pills weighing 187 pounds from the vehicle.
The unidentified driver and her female passenger were detained and turned over to Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office to face drug charges. Following the massive bust, Sheriff Paul Penzone released a statement praising the incredible work done by the “border patrol agents to keep drugs off our streets.” “Their efforts will save lives and promote safety,” Penzone said.
According to provisional data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, over 71,000 Americans died from fentanyl overdoses in 2021 — a 23% increase from 2020.