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Estimated 50,000 fentanyl pills found in narcotics bust, Newport Beach police say

Roughly 50,000 fentanyl pills, an unspecified amount of cash, a “ghost” gun and a high-capacity magazine.
Roughly 50,000 fentanyl pills, an unspecified amount of cash, a “ghost” gun and a high-capacity magazine were found during the arrest of a suspected narcotics dealer in Newport Beach, police say
(Courtesy of the Newport Beach Police Department)
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About 50,000 fentanyl pills were recovered by Newport Beach police this month during the arrest of a suspected narcotics dealer on Dec. 9.

Police declined to identify the individual arrested as the investigation is ongoing. But the pills — designed to mimic prescription Oxycodone, Xanax and Adderall pills — are estimated to have a street value of $250,000.

Also found in service of the search warrant was an unregistered, homemade firearm also known as a “ghost” gun, an unspecified but large amount of cash and a high-capacity magazine.

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Fentanyl addiction is increasingly becoming a public health concern across the country. The synthetic opioid is typically used medically to mitigate extreme pain, but is as much as 100 times more potent than morphine.

Lawmakers in California have been trying to tackle the issue as overdoses continue to climb at speeds unimaginable across the state and the country.

According to the Orange County Health Care Agency, opioids were responsible for the deaths of at least 13 people in the county in 2022.

Police said because fentanyl is being added to many street drugs, the use of any of them can become deadly.

“The Newport Beach Police Department would like to remind the public that fentanyl can be found in many forms. Only trust your doctor with prescription medication to help combat the fentanyl overdose crisis,” said Newport Beach Police Department interim Police Chief Joe Cartwright in a statement. “Please contact the Newport Beach Police Department if you have any information relating to the sale of illegal drugs and/or prescription pills.”

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