More evidence of the enormous trade in counterfeit fentanyl emerged during the last week of April, when law enforcement officials, as part of the HIDTA Program, made two large seizures of counterfeit drugs described as ‘the largest fentanyl seizures in Alaska history.’
The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program coordinates and assists Federal, State, Local and Tribal law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to address regional drug threats throughout the United States with the purpose of reducing drug trafficking and drug production.
HIDTA Investigators, alerted to a suspicious package at a commercial shipping facility in Anchorage Airport, seized 2,700 counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills addressed to an Alaska residence. The street value was an estimated $100,000.
The next day, the Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs taskforce investigators received a tip about a package that was traced to a Klawock residence. Investigators seized 2,000 counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills and 453 grams of crystal methamphetamine. The street value of the counterfeit pills was estimated at around $200,000 and the methamphetamine had an estimated street value of around $67,900.
In a press release about the HIDTA Program:
“In 2022, during the months of January, February, and March the statewide (Alaska High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) initiative, including the Alaska State Troopers, seized 1,906 pills containing fentanyl and 1,244.42 grams of fentanyl,” the release said. “During all of 2021 the statewide HIDTA initiative, including the Alaska State Troopers, seized 7,310 pills containing fentanyl and approximately 612.16 grams of fentanyl.”