SANTA ANNA, California. — The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said felony charges have been filed against two California drug dealers who had enough fentanyl to kill 4.7 million people.
In a press release, the office said it was the county's largest drug bust in 16 years. The office said a lethal dose of fentanyl is as little as 2 milligrams and the bust recovered 20.5 pounds.
Police recovered 821 pounds of meth, 189.7 pounds of cocaine and the fentanyl which was in pill form.
The Buena Park Police made the bust after they pulled over a minivan on March 17.
“Millions of unsuspecting people have the grim reaper looking over their shoulder and they have no idea how close they actually are to dying from taking a single pill,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “Fentanyl is cheap, it’s easy to get and it is killing our children, our coworkers, and tens of thousands of innocent Americans who don’t have to die. Drug dealers don’t care about you or your loved ones – they only care about their bottom line and making as much money as possible. With fentanyl in an estimated 40 percent of street drugs, it’s not a matter of if but when someone you know and love dies from fentanyl. We have to continue to do everything we can to combat this deadly drug epidemic and save lives.”
Edgar Alfonso Lamas, 36, and Carlos Raygozaparedes, 53, were charged with:
- One felony count of possession of sale of a controlled substance
- Three felony counts of sale or transportation for sale of a controlled substance
- Two felony counts of possession of sale of a controlled substance
The two men were also charged with two felony enhancements that the controlled substances exceeded 80 kilograms by weight and two felony enhancements that the controlled substances exceeded 20 kilograms by weight or 400 liters by liquid volume.
The DA's office the men face a maximum sentence of 37 years and four months if convicted on all charges. The men have pled not guilty.
