Alaska law enforcement seizes almost 2.5 million doses of fentanyl this summer

Alaska regulation enforcement seized about 2.45 million deadly doses of fentanyl this summer time, a part of a statewide effort focusing on the lethal opioid.

Alaska State Troopers say 25 arrests have been additionally made throughout the months-long sweep, which they introduced at a information convention on Tuesday. Dozens of associated investigations are nonetheless lively and open.

Public Security Commissioner James Cockrell stated three Alaska Wildlife Troopers have been re-tasked throughout the sweep “to combat this scourge upon Alaska.” Cockrell talked about a spring gathering to debate Mat-Su fentanyl instances which, he stated, illustrates the drug’s toll upon younger Alaskans.

“It was a really heartfelt press convention with a variety of feelings, assembly with the households that really misplaced family members — simply as I did,” Cockrell stated. “I misplaced my son to a drug overdose within the state of Pennsylvania about 5 years in the past.”

Troopers say the quantity of medication seized between Might 1 and Sept. 30 of this yr is double final yr and “represents one in every of Alaska’s highest durations for drug seizures.”

Capt. Andrew Gorn, head of troopers’ Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit, stated a lot of the seized fentanyl got here from Mexico. The most important seizures befell in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau, in addition to the port communities of Ketchikan and Kodiak, the place a $656,000 fentanyl bust was made final month.

“Only one capsule containing fentanyl can kill the common particular person,” Gorn stated. “And it’s due to that unlucky undeniable fact that I’m assured in our efforts this previous summer time that we’ve completely saved Alaskan lives — we completely have.”

With 70% of overdose deaths in Alaska linked to fentanyl, used both pure or combined with different medication, Gorn urged individuals to keep away from road medication, which might include unlabeled portions of fentanyl.

“The danger merely isn’t price it,” he stated.

Total, 4.8 kilograms of fentanyl have been seized, sufficient to make 2.45 million deadly doses of fentanyl — or three for each Alaskan. Investigators additionally seized roughly 50 kilos every of heroin and methamphetamine, plus about 30 kilos of cocaine.

Well being Commissioner Adam Crum stated the state has distributed 32,000 Naloxone opioid-overdose response kits to date this yr, up for 27,000 for all of 2021. As well as, funding from the well being division was transferred this yr to Public Security to purchase tools in assist of the sweep.

“That may be a health-based effort from our perspective,” Crum stated.

Troopers urged Alaskans with data on fentanyl and different unlawful drug distribution of their communities to submit nameless ideas by way of the Division of Public Security web site or the AKtips smartphone app launched final yr.