Tens of thousands of fentanyl pills found in NE Oklahoma City traffic stop
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - A massive drug bust in Oklahoma City by the criminal interdiction team of central Oklahoma found tens of thousands of fentanyl pills and some cash all in one traffic stop.
It was 46,000 fentanyl pills worth well over $1 million found in Oklahoma City just a couple weeks ago. Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III said it all stemmed from a traffic stop on I-35.
"There's no doubt in my mind that these arrests save lives in our community,” Johnson said.
Justin Xavier McCroe is now in custody after being stopped on I-35 near NE 63rd Street back on Dec. 21. Details of the case were first made public for the first time Thursday.
"Our deputy saw the driver make two unsafe lane changes in that time and pulled the suspect over,” Johnson said.
In addition, Johnson said McCroe was also speeding in his white Chevy Malibu through a construction zone at the time. When the deputy approached him, the sheriff said McCroe lit a cigarette.
"Suspects will often do that to mask the odor of drugs in the vehicle or as a sign of being nervous,” Johnson said.
McCroe told the deputy he lived in Oklahoma City, but that the car was rented by his sister out of Kansas with items inside indicating he was on a long trip. When the deputy saw a black duffle bag in the back seat and money near console, a K-9 was brought in.
"The dog gave it positive indication that there were drugs present in the vehicle,” Johnson said.
Investigators said a search ended up finding 46,000 fentanyl pills worth $1.3 million. They also found some marijuana and $3,500 in cash. It’s something Johnson said they see all too often. It stays in the back of their minds that for all the people they catch, there are still plenty that make it through without getting caught.
"To see anything get across or slip through the cracks is something we take personally as this continues,” he said.
Johnson mentioned the dangers of fentanyl that we see in our communities every day and that they work with state and federal leadership to find more ways to find and take these types of drugs off the streets.