Police seize enough fentanyl 'to kill everyone in Portland twice,' arrest 46 in multi-agency trafficking crackdown

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A series of drug trafficking missions conducted in the Portland area earlier this year and involving multiple law enforcement agencies yielded 46 arrests and dozens of pounds of illicit drugs seized, authorities said.

The missions focused on fentanyl trafficking and were conducted in the month of February. The multi-agency effort involved law enforcement entities on the local, state and federal levels.

The crackdown is in response to fentanyl flooding into the Pacific Northwest from the Honduran-based Sinaloa Cartel, according to the Portland Police Bureau.

There was also $204,007 in cash seized, as well as 20 guns, 44 pounds of fentanyl powder and 2,507 fentanyl pills. The illicit drugs seized during the operation — which also included 22 pounds of methamphetamine, nine pounds of cocaine and two pounds of heroin — was located in part thanks to the use of a K9 police dog.

“Fentanyl has no place in our city. Our partnership with local, state, and federal agencies makes our collective response stronger,” Portland Police Chief Bob Day said in a statement. “This operation was a success, but it is only one step in a larger, sustained effort to keep Portland safe.”

David F. Reames, a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency Seattle Field Division, said the amount of fentanyl seized by his team and the other participating agencies could have yielded over 1.5 million lethal doses or "enough to kill everyone in Portland twice."

“Nearly all of those arrested selling drugs were illegally present in the United States,” Reames said. “These same traffickers had been exploiting children by using them to sell dangerous drugs. The case today highlights our collective success in bringing some accountability to the criminals who sell poison on our streets.”

In addition to the PPB and the DEA, other agencies involved in the recent fentanyl trafficking missions included the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office. Also assisting in the operation was a special team as part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, whose participating agencies include the Oregon State Police and Homeland Security Investigations, among others.

PPB Chief Bob Day said collaboration is essential when the challenge of fighting the drug crisis is this big.

“It makes me proud when I can see us come together across jurisdiction, across federal and state and county boundaries, and find a way to be successful to enhance the safety and security for all Portlanders,” he said. “And that's what these results demonstrate.”