Fentanyl tablet seizure on I‑5 leads to major drug bust in Oregon

On Tuesday afternoon, a man was detained after nearly half a million tablets containing fentanyl were found in his possession. According to the Oregon State Police, the suspect was apprehended following a routine traffic stop.

At approximately 1:00 PM on Tuesday, an Oregon State Police officer stopped a Volkswagen SUV on Interstate 5 in Douglas County for a traffic violation.

During the intervention, the officer began to suspect that the driver might be involved in criminal activity. He decided to search the vehicle.

During the search, the officer discovered nearly half a million tablets containing fentanyl in the car, equivalent to about 450,000 doses of this dangerous drug. Such substances are particularly hazardous due to the high risk of overdose and mortality even at low doses.

The detainee has been identified as 32-year-old Gustavo Alonso Franco Valenzuela, a resident of Los Angeles. During the interrogation, the man admitted that he was transporting the tablets to Portland.

Local authorities emphasize that the scale of this transport is particularly alarming, considering the potential consequences of such a large quantity of the drug being introduced into circulation.

Due to the amount of intercepted tablets, Valenzuela was immediately arrested and is now facing federal charges related to the distribution of a controlled substance.

The Oregon State Police stated that the investigation is ongoing and further actions will be taken to clarify the full circumstances of this crime and any potential connections to a larger network of drug traffickers.

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid multiple times more potent than morphine, poses a serious public health threat in the United States. This drug is often added to other substances, causing unsuspecting users to easily overdose. In recent years, the number of deaths caused by fentanyl has risen sharply, sparking widespread debate on ways to combat this epidemic.

The police are calling for increased vigilance and cooperation with the public to combat such threats.