San Luis police combat rising threat of fentanyl

SAN LUIS, AZ (AZFamily) — Police in San Luis and surrounding areas are doing all they can to stop drugs from coming into the United States.

A lot of it is coming up from Mexico, with fentanyl being the top drug being smuggled in.

The San Luis Police Department has had a recent rash of fentanyl takedowns.

In May, their officers seized 92 pounds of fentanyl at a residential home drug bust. It was one of three significant stings that month.

“A lot of good interdictions and intelligence lead to several seizures. Just in the month of May we had a total of 200 pounds of fentanyl,” said Emmanuel Botello, SLPD lieutenant.

Botello’s been with the department for nearly 16 years. When he first started, no one was talking about fentanyl.

“It got to a point where it was very common and unfortunately we were seeing a lot of overdoses. Particularly with the younger generations, younger ages,” he said.

Because they’re so close to the border, his detectives work with U.S. Customs and Border Protection under “Operation Apollo” to stop drugs before they enter the states.

“We understand U.S. Customs have a lot on their hands as well. Sometimes they’ll catch some of the loads, but sometimes they get away,” he said.

He said the number of drugs being trafficked through San Luis is often headed north through Arizona. They caught one fentanyl trafficker on a public transportation bus.

“A person that was trying to board a shuttle service. A shuttle service that will take you to the major cities like Phoenix and Tucson. During contact with our officers they realized part of the suitcase was actually ripped and the drugs were showing,” he said.

Last year, the Yuma narcotics task force arrested 26 people for possession, distribution, and transportation of fentanyl worth more than $3 million on the street.

“An opioid like that, a very small amount is enough to kill you,” Botello said.

They’re doing everything they can to keep it off the streets.

“This is something the San Luis Police Department does not take lightly. We understand the problem is there,” he said.

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