OMAHA, NE (KFGO) – The Drug Enforcement Administration says as part of the “One Pill Can Kill” initiative that began about a year ago, the agency and its law enforcement partners have seized more than 10 million fentanyl pills and 980 pounds of fentanyl powder during a nationwide crackdown.
DEA investigators in North Dakota seized more than 11,000 pills in one case tied directly to the “One Pill Can Kill” phase III surge. Three arrests have been made in one case with additional drugs, including methamphetamine, marijuana and morphine pills, seized alongside the fentanyl.
Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Justin King says those arrested and those under investigation are specifically targeting people on the reservations of North Dakota.
Of the 390 nationwide cases, King said 51 are linked to overdose poisonings and 35 link directly to one or both of the primary Mexican cartels responsible for the majority of fentanyl in the US.
In addition, 129 investigations are linked to social media platforms, including Snapchat, Facebook messenger, Instagram and TikTok.
Drug traffickers have expanded their inventory to sell fentanyl in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes. Rainbow fentanyl was first reported to DEA in February and it has now been seized in 21 states.