9M Potentially Lethal Fentanyl Doses Found In RivCo Apartment: DA

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — An investigation into the shipping of fentanyl through the U.S. mail led to a Riverside County arrest and the seizure of 18.5 kilograms of the synthetic opioid, the Riverside County District Attorney's Office announced Monday morning.

Ignacio Alcala, 27, was taken into custody at 9 p.m. Dec. 13 as he was leaving his apartment in Hemet's 3800 block of Devonshire Avenue. The multi-agency bust was spurred by a U.S. Postal Service investigation into the shipping of fentanyl through the mail that led to a federal arrest warrant for Alcala on suspicion of drug trafficking, according to the D.A.'s office.

The Riverside County Gang Impact Team made the arrest. The team is supervised by the D.A.'s Bureau of Investigation and is staffed by agents from the bureau, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshal's Service, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, and personnel from the Beaumont, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Hemet, Murietta, and Riverside police departments.

A search of Alcala's apartment by the team turned up "18.5 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, a half-pound of suspected methamphetamine, a fully automatic 'ghost' gun pistol, and a second firearm that was previously reported as stolen," the D.A. reported.

The fentanyl haul, which the D.A.'s office said had a street value of more than $3 million, was large: 18.5 kilograms equates to more than nine million potentially lethal doses of the drug.

"It only takes two milligrams of fentanyl to potentially be a fatal dose and a teaspoon contains 5,000 milligrams," the D.A.'s office reported.

Fentanyl, which is manmade, is less expensive than other opioids and is highly
addictive — it is also 50 times more powerful than heroin and 100 times more than morphine, according to the D.A.'s office.

Law enforcement agencies across the United States report finding fentanyl in nearly all illegal drugs, including fake pills made to look like prescription medications.

"Hundreds of people die every year in Riverside County due to fentanyl poisoning," the D.A.'s office reported. "Victims, including young people, are illegally obtaining pills they believe are oxycodone or Percocet but instead contain fentanyl. Fentanyl is killing our residents at an alarming rate, and it is affecting all races/ethnicities, sociodemographic groups, and ages."

Riverside County recently launched a multi-department public awareness campaign about the dangers of fentanyl. To learn more visit www.facesoffentanyl.net.