Kansas City, Kansas police seize more than $100k worth of fentanyl-laced pills
Kansas City, Kansas police seized more than $100,000 worth of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl during a weekend sweep of a local shipping distribution center, the department announced Wednesday.
The pills were seized during a routine sweep by narcotics officers who were assisted by the department’s K-9 unit, police said.
“The KCKPD wants dealers and suppliers to know that Kansas City, Kansas is not the place to be doing business,” said Capt. John Diaz in a news release.
Diaz said the department is conducting routine sweeps in various facilities, including ones that process packages. The department seized around 150,000 pills last year and expect to find more in 2023.
The pills seized are almost identical to those distributed by pharmacies, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl.
In 2022, Kansas City, Kansas recorded a record 174 overdoses, 40 of which were fatal. The majority of those cases involved fentanyl, police said, and represented a significant increase from the previous year when there were 111 overdoses and 23 deaths.
Police urged anyone who sees a person exhibit symptoms of overdose, such as shallow breathing or loss of breathing, or who becomes unresponsive after ingesting or snorting a drug, to immediately call 911.
Anyone with information on the sale of fentanyl or other illegal drugs is encouraged to call the anonymous 24-hour narcotics hotline at 913-573-6287.
