{"id":2512019,"date":"2025-11-18T18:32:02","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T23:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/colorado-reports-largest-fentanyl-pill-seizure-in-state-history\/"},"modified":"2025-11-18T18:37:37","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T23:37:37","slug":"colorado-reports-largest-fentanyl-pill-seizure-in-state-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/colorado-reports-largest-fentanyl-pill-seizure-in-state-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Colorado reports largest fentanyl pill seizure in state history"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcolorado-reports-largest-fentanyl-pill-seizure-in-state-history%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2512019&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Colorado <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-red-wave-of-conservative-women-elected-to-congress\/\" title=\"The Red Wave of Conservative Women Elected to Congress\">law enforcement<\/a> recently seized the largest stash of illegal fentanyl pills in the state&#8217;s history, marking the sixth-largest one-time fentanyl pill seizure in the United States. The bust involved approximately 1.7 million <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/feds-break-up-group-smuggling-fentanyl-over-the-border-in-fire-extinguishers\/\" title=\"Feds bust ... smuggling gang using fire extinguishers at border\">counterfeit fentanyl pills<\/a> (198 kilograms), 12 kilograms of fentanyl powder, adn 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine, quantities lethal enough to kill millions. The drugs were found in an abandoned storage unit in Highlands Ranch, a Denver suburb, after a citizen who legally purchased the unit reported the discovery to authorities. The original owner had been taken into federal custody earlier that year.<\/p>\n<p>Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly and the DEA&#8217;s Rocky Mountain Field Division led the operation. DEA Special Agent in Charge David Olesky emphasized the life-saving impact of removing thes &#8220;poison pills&#8221; from the streets. Colorado Governor Jared Polis praised the seizure, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat drug crime and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hundreds-frustrated-by-rising-crime-in-california-city-excluded-from-community-safety-meeting\/\" title=\"Many frustrated residents excluded from California city&#039;s &#039;Comm...y Safety Meeting&#039; due to rising ....\">improve community safety<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This incident occurs amid a severe fentanyl crisis in Colorado, where fentanyl-related deaths soared from 222 in 2019 to 1,097 in 2023, representing a nearly 400% increase. Fentanyl now accounts for about 68% of all drug overdose deaths in the state. In response,U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans proposed bipartisan legislation to provide funding and resources to law enforcement and community groups to fight the fentanyl epidemic and educate families.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Colorado reports largest fentanyl pill seizure in state history<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2406112\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square)&nbsp;&ndash; <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/colorado\/\">Colorado<\/a> law enforcement seized its largest stash of illegal <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fentanyl\/\">fentanyl<\/a> pills in state history.<\/p>\n<p>It was also the sixth-largest one-time fentanyl pill seizure in U.S. history.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/3890533\/trump-administration-accuses-illinois-officials-of-inciting-ice-protests\/\">Trump administration accuses Illinois officials of inciting ICE protests<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3891477\/elections-board-drops-campaign-finance-fines-against-il-senate-president\/\">Elections board drops campaign finance fines against IL Senate President<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3891256\/cameron-kasky-campaign-new-york-12th-district\/\">Parkland shooting survivor launches progressive campaign for New York&#8217;s 12th District<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The announcement was made on Monday by Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly, who worked in conjunction with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration&rsquo;s Rocky Mountain Field Division.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This played out like an episode of a TV show,&rdquo; said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge David Olesky in a&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dea.gov\/press-releases\/2025\/11\/17\/dea-rocky-mountain-seizes-record-17-million-counterfeit-fentanyl-pills\">press release<\/a>. &ldquo;There is no doubt many lives have been saved by keeping these poison pills off the streets of Colorado.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>According to authorities, in total, the seizure brought in:<\/p>\n<p>&bull; 198 kilograms of counterfeit fentanyl pills, approximately 1.7 million pills.<\/p>\n<p>&bull;&nbsp;12 kilograms of fentanyl powder.<\/p>\n<p>&bull;&nbsp;2.5 pounds of methamphetamine.<\/p>\n<p>That is enough to kill millions of Americans.<\/p>\n<p>The seizure was made at a storage facility in Highlands Ranch, a suburb south of the Denver metro area. It came after a citizen who legally purchased an abandoned storage unit opened the unit and made a report to law enforcement after discovering illegal narcotics.<\/p>\n<p>When authorities arrived on scene, they found a &ldquo;massive quantity&rdquo; of kilogram-sized packages and M-30 pills, which are counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I want to thank the citizen who reported this discovery, the storage facility staff for their cooperation, and the deputies who responded quickly and professionally,&rdquo; said Weekly. &ldquo;Let me send a strong and unmistakable message: Fentanyl and illegal narcotics will not be tolerated in Douglas County. Our deputies, detectives and crime lab professionals are committed to keeping this community safe, and we will remain relentless in that mission.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The original owner of the storage unit had been previously taken into custody by the DEA in April, which led to the eventual auctioning off of the unit. They have not been identified, but remain in federal custody.<\/p>\n<p>Colorado Gov. Jared Polis applauded the seizure.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I want to thank everyone who helped us with the largest successful fentanyl seizure in Colorado history,&rdquo; Polis said. &ldquo;Getting more of this deadly drug off the streets saves lives. In Colorado, we are cracking down on crime, apprehending dangerous criminals, and keeping our communities safe.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>This comes just weeks after U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colorado, proposed a bill to combat the growing fentanyl crisis throughout the country.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/colorado\/article_5428b094-e68e-4097-ab71-5bd37896a22f.html\">Previously reported<\/a>&nbsp;on by The Center Square, the bipartisan bill would establish taxpayer-funded grant programs to help state and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >local law enforcement agencies<\/a> and nonprofits.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This legislation will help to educate families, while giving our law enforcement the tools and critical resources they need to combat this and keep Coloradans safe,&rdquo; Evans said. &ldquo;Everyone deserves to live in a community free from the threat of fentanyl poisonings.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3876223\/ballot-measures-what-passed-2025-elections\/\">BALLOT MEASURES: WHAT PASSED AND WHAT DIDN&rsquo;T IN THE 2025 ELECTIONS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Over the past few years, there has been a steep increase in the number of fentanyl deaths in Colorado.<\/p>\n<p>In 2019, there were 222 fentanyl-related deaths. In 2023, there were 1,097. That is a nearly 400% increase in just four years.<\/p>\n<p>This is according to a June report from the Common Sense Institute of Colorado, which also found that fentanyl accounted for 68% of all drug overdose deaths in 2023. That is a 25.7% increase from 2020.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Colorado makes largest fentanyl pill seizure in state history<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2869,"featured_media":2512022,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Feat.China_.5.091124.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[6024,53186,10250],"class_list":["post-2512019","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-colorado","tag-drug-seizure","tag-fentanyl"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Feat.China_.5.091124.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2512019","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2869"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2512019"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2512019\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2512024,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2512019\/revisions\/2512024"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2512022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2512019"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2512019"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2512019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}