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Guns, drugs, cash discovered in massive Phoenix-area bust

By
Updated  June 23, 2023 12:41pm MST
Drug Busts
FOX 10 Phoenix

Fentanyl not found during recent AZ drug bust

The drug bust, according to officials with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, involved multiple locations in the Phoenix area. Hundreds of drugs, from Xanax to mushrooms and cocaine, were found during the bust. One drug that has caused a crisis of sorts in recent years, however, was not found. FOX 10's Stephanie Bennett reports.

PHOENIX - Maricopa County detectives have seized drugs, weapons, and cash from multiple locations across the Phoenix area.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg. We are going to move forward with this, and there is going to be more arrests, and there is going to be more drugs that are going to be confiscated in different locations," said Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez.

As part of an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking organizations, detectives with MCSO's Drug Suppression Task Force executed a series of search warrants on several locations and vehicles throughout the Valley.

"The detectives do an unbelievable job with these type of cases how they are able to get this information for one number two the amount of drugs that they were able to get and the different varieties they do a really good job."

Drug busts happen with a certain degree of regularity, but what made this particular case unique is that there was a vast variety of different drugs that detectives say they don’t see too often.

Besides six firearms, including a stolen handgun, and more than $30,000 in cash, officials found over 3,000 THC vape cartridges, almost 60 lbs of THC cannabis bi-product, and other drugs, including Xanax, ketamine powder, LSD liquid and tabs, psilocybin mushrooms, MDMA, cocaine, and narcotic cough syrup. 

One drug that officials did not find during the bust was fentanyl.

"For sure we thought there was going to be some fentanyl, but maybe we're still going. We are not done with this investigation yet. It's still going, so it's soon," said Sgt. Enriquez.

Despite the misconception of some of these items being decriminalized by state law or readily available through a prescription, detectives say the items found were obtained and being distributed illegally.

"It’s the way that they are being sold, handled, the quantities. That’s what makes these all illegal. So if individuals are out there purchasing these drugs from these organizations, they are just as guilty," said Sgt. Enriquez.

So far, five suspects were identified, and some taken into custody on several felony charges. Officials say they expect many more will follow.