VAN BUREN COUNTY, Mich. (WWJ) – A California man is behind bars after what Michigan State Police officials are calling the largest seizure of fentanyl during a traffic stop in the state.
The massive bust happened when MSP troopers with the Fifth District’s Hometown Security Team pulled a car over along I-94 near Paw Paw in Southwest Michigan shortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday.
While officials say improper lane use and a cracked windshield led to the traffic stop, when troopers made contact with the driver, they detected “several indicators of criminal activity.”
After getting verbal consent from the driver, a 25-year-old man from California, to search the car, troopers found four kilos of fentanyl stuffed in a duffle bag. Each kilo was individually wrapped in heat-sealed bags, MSP officials said.
After the traffic stop, investigators were led to another location, where they found two more kilos of suspected fentanyl and about $30,000 in cash.
The suspect, whose name has not yet been released, was the only person in the vehicle. He was arrested and held at the Van Buren County Jail.
He has been charged with possession with intent to deliver more than 1,000 grams of fentanyl.
Evidence shows he was transporting or smuggling fentanyl from California to Michigan, according to MSP.
Authorities say just one kilo can produce about 500,000 fentanyl pills with a street value of about $1.5 million.
“In total, this seizure will undoubtedly save lives, as it disrupted the distribution of around three million fentanyl laced pills with a total street value of $9 million,” MSP officials said in a press release.
“Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat facing this country today. It is a highly addictive man-made opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin,” officials said. “Just two milligrams of fentanyl, the small amount that fits on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially deadly dose.”
For assistance with addiction, visit the Michigan National Rehab website or call the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Hotline at 1-888-733-7753. Recovery assistance is also offered through the MSP Angel Program.
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