PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — One day after neighbors expressed frustration at open drug use near the Safeway on Southwest Jefferson Street in downtown Portland, arrests were made Saturday night related to suspected fentanyl dealers in the area.

KOIN 6 News was there as the Portland Police Bureau Bike Squad made three arrests near Southwest 10th Avenue and Jefferson Street, an area that has become the latest hot spot for drug users and dealers.

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The three people were charged with the distribution of a controlled substance and booked into Multnomah County Jail. The bike squad seized a total of 115 grams of fentanyl and 13 grams of crystal meth.

When the bike squad originally began targeted operations to arrest drug dealers over a year ago, most of the distribution was happening blatantly in broad daylight.

“We don’t see the drug dealers during the day anymore, so we have to change our tactics to night. Now they’re not carrying as many drugs with them,” said Sgt. Jerry Cioeta, of the PPB bike squad. “They’re continually changing what they’re doing. They’re changing locations, they’re changing how they’re doing their drug deals. So, when they change, we change, too. So what we were doing 15 months ago is not what we’re doing tonight.”

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Previously fentanyl was being sold as pressed pills. Now dealers are distributing it in powder form, in small baggies.

Portland police say they will continue to do these targeted operations.

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