Nearly 500 fentanyl pills found during Phoenix jail bookings, Maricopa County Sheriff's Office says
Nearly 500 pills suspected to be fentanyl were found by Maricopa County correctional officers during five inmate bookings, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.
Guards found approximately six suspected fentanyl pills from what appeared to be an AA battery that fell out of an inmate's pocket, according to the Sheriff's Office. About another 70 pills were seized during two separate bookings, the Sheriff's Office said.
A fourth seizure happened when a female inmate released two blue pills while giving a urine sample, leading to a search yielding 150 pills. A cavity search on the woman came up with 50 pills that had begun dissolving in her body, the Sheriff's Office said.
The latest seizure happened Feb. 12 when 200 pills were found after an inmate ordered to get undressed during his booking was seen trying to conceal an item between his leg and the jail-issued socks, according to the Sheriff's Office.
In January, the Sheriff's Office arrested a correctional officer who court documents say admitted in November to trying to smuggle drugs. Andres Salazar, 27, was taken into custody Jan. 11 on suspicion of intent to smuggle 100 pills of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine and wax marijuana into the Lower Buckeye Jail.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Officials: Nearly 500 fentanyl pills found in Phoenix jail bookings
