Largest fentanyl pill bust in Tarrant County history made during routine stop

TARRANT COUNTY, Texas - The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office seized a record-breaking amount of fentanyl-laced pills during a traffic stop on I-20 on Tuesday.

What we know:

Deputies were conducting a traffic stop as part of a drug prevention operation when they pulled over a vehicle entering Tarrant County.

A K-9 officer alerted deputies to the presence of illegal drugs during a sniff test. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of five packages of counterfeit M-30 pills hidden inside the gas tank.

Largest fentanyl pill seizure in department history

K-9 drug bust in Tarrant County. Credit: Tarrant County Sheriff's Office

Local perspective:

Deputies found approximately 350,000 counterfeit M-30 pills, which were laced with fentanyl. The total weight of the drugs was 43 kilograms, or nearly 95 pounds, with an estimated street value of $1.4 million.

The sheriff’s office said this was the largest seizure of M-30 fentanyl pills in department history.

Arrest

The driver was arrested and booked into the Tarrant County Jail. The investigation is ongoing.

What we don't know:

The sheriff’s office has not released the driver’s identity.

It is unclear where the pills came from or where they were being transported.

What are M-30 pills?

Rainbow fentanyl pills with M30 imprint. (DEA)

Dig deeper:

Counterfeit M-30 pills are fake prescription drugs that contain different ingredients than the legitimate medications they mimic, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

These pills are especially dangerous because they often resemble real prescription drugs, but buyers may not realize they contain lethal amounts of fentanyl or methamphetamine.

The DEA says counterfeit pills are primarily sold online through internet marketplaces and social media. Many high school and college students purchase them believing they are Adderall or Xanax, only to contain deadly substances.