Law enforcement officers out in Southern California have reportedly seized around 20,000 fentanyl pills during a traffic stop, which has prompted one county to issue a public health warning of a possible increase in overdose deaths associated with the deadly substance.
According to the San Bernardino Police Department, three people were stopped by narcotics officers for violating vehicle code violations, after which they found thousands of fentanyl pills alongside $1,200 in cash, half an ounce of cocaine, and a weapon during their search.
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The man who was driving the car was already said to have been on federal probation at the time of his latest arrest and the trio face is now looking to face multiple felony charges. The San Bernardino County Public Health Department has since released a health advisory, stressing what could potentially be a high rate of deaths from fentanyl-related overdoses.
While police are said to have seized 20,000 pills, it’s unclear how many may have already been sold out prior to the traffic stop, which is why health officials in the area are urging locals to be aware and alert. Fentanyl drug overdoses have become all too common in recent years, particularly in young adults who are often associated with laced marijuana.
Last year alone, the rate of overdose deaths in the U.S. alone had reached 309, which was a significant increase from 2020 when figures were at 227. Prior to that, in 2019, the county said it had only recorded 74 deaths related to fentanyl, while the numbers were even lower in 2018 with just 30.