PHOENIX, Arizona — A 27-year-old man is facing criminal charges in Arizona after he was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of being in possession of over one million fentanyl pills.
Juan Alfonso Torres-Rodriguez, a citizen of Mexico, was charged on March 9 with one count of possessing suspected fentanyl pills for distribution, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office of Arizona.
Torres-Rodriguez was arrested in the middle of a drug deal with more than a million fentanyl pills. Having that many pills has a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison with the possibility of life in prison. Torres-Rodriguez could also be given a $10 million fine.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force Group conducted the drug bust.
Large pill count drug busts are not uncommon. Back in February, the DEA and Tempe Police Department arrested 150 people and took over 4.5 million pills off the streets in an operation against the Sinaloa Cartel.
The DEA said fentanyl is mass-produced in laboratories in Mexico with chemicals sourced largely by China. Criminal cartels are also making fake pills to look like prescription drugs such as Oxycontin, Hydrocodone, Percocet, Xanax, and Adderall.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Le encontraron un millón de píldoras de fentanilo a presunto traficante
Silent Witness:
Arizona's Silent Witness program allows people to send in tips and share information about crimes happening within their local communities.
The program shares unsolved felony case information in multiple ways, including TV, radio and social media.
Anyone who has information on a crime or recognizes a suspect described by the program is asked to call 480-948-6377, go to the program's website online or download the Silent Witness app to provide a tip. The identity of anyone who submits a tip is kept anonymous.
Calls to Silent Witness are answered 24/7 by a live person and submitted tips are accepted at all times. Submitted tips are then sent to the detective(s) in charge of the specific case.
Individuals who submit tips that lead to an arrest or indictment in the case can get a reward of up to $1,000.