65,500 fentanyl pills seized by Salinas police task force

By Josh Copitch

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    SALINAS, California (KSBW) — On Tuesday the Salinas Police Department released information on the latest results from their Violence Suppression Task Force, a specialized unit tasked focusing on uncovering gang activity.

Chief Roberto Filice, Salinas police staff and local law enforcement partners attended the press conference where they touted the results of the VSTF.

According to the department, in a month long investigation called Operation Blue Angel, authorities conducted five search warrants and found 65,500 M30 fentanyl pills, 118 grams of methamphetamine, five firearms guns and two stolen vehicles.

The street value for the seized fentanyl pills is estimated to be $350,000.

Authorities said the drug bust is connected to the Norteño gang, but declined to release the number and identity of those arrested.

In 2019, Monterey County experienced 118 fentanyl overdoses that required hospitalization, District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni said. In 2020, fentanyl overdoses in the county increased to 218.

According to the California Department of Public Health, there were 3,946 fentanyl overdose deaths in 2020.

“The commitment that the Salinas Department has made to keep Salinas safe does not stop,” Salinas Police Chief Roberto Filice said. “This is just one step in our war on crime, which we will continue to fight day in and day out.”

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