HAYWOOD COUNTY, Tenn. — A Texas man and woman were arrested after a drug-sniffing police K9 found 85 pounds of fentanyl hidden in their car, on Sunday March 10.
42-year-old Ernesto Ortiz and 25-year-old Maria Munoz were arrested by officers from the West Tennessee Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, after a traffic stop that led to agents finding the drugs.
During the stop, the Task Force said officers deployed a drug-sniffing police K9 after they suspected there might be drugs in the car. The dog then alerted the agents, who found the fentanyl hidden inside fertilizer bags and a tent bag.
Ortiz and Munoz were arrested on charges of delivering a Schedule II controlled substance and are currently held at Haywood County Jail under a $5,000,000 bond.
The investigation is ongoing.
According to the CDC, Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs in overdose deaths in the U.S. As little as two milligrams are enough to kill someone.
Drug Task Force Director Johnie Carter also shares that Tennessee is the second highest ranking state among the most overdose dates in the United States in 2021.
According to the CDC, Tennessee is only behind Kentucky.
To reverse an overdose from opioids, Naloxone is an over-the-counter medication that is easy to carry and can be administered without medical training or permission.
In Shelby County, the Memphis Area Prevention Coalition (MAPC) works on prevention efforts to combat substance abuse in the area.
For emotional and substance use support the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available by calling 988 any day, at any time.