YAVAPAI CO, AZ — Arizona authorities say the routine traffic stop of a truck weaving in and out of freeway traffic has led to the seizure of enough fentanyl powder to manufacture up to 10 million potentially deadly pills.
The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said Friday the seizure occurred Wednesday when deputies noticed a truck driving erratically on Interstate 17 near Cordes Junction.
A police dog discovered 22 pounds of the drug in the vehicle.
The driver, 21-year-old Daniel Antonio Guzman-Perez, was arrested.
“We typically see a lot of fentanyl in the pill form. But this is the second time in less than a month that our K-9 unit has seized powdered fentanyl of this magnitude, which is extremely rare,” said Sheriff David Rhodes, Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office. “We estimate that this seizure could make an estimated five to 10 million fentanyl pills. So it is extremely concerning that powdered fentanyl is now being trafficked across our state.”
YCSO estimates the value of the fentanyl to be approximately $150 million.
Guzman-Perez was booked into the county jail, but was unclear if he had an attorney to answer allegations against him.
