Pocatello Police Department (PPD) and fellow investigators with the BADGES Task Force seized over 2,000 fentanyl pills. An investigation that resulted in a traffic stop led to the arrest of two suspects in possession of the pills.
Saturday, May 6, officers pulled over the suspect’s vehicle on I-15 in south Pocatello. During their search, investigators uncovered dangerous synthetic opioids hidden inside numerous candy boxes. The drugs have an estimated value of $30,000.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), around 40% of fentanyl pills are lethal.
“The Pocatello Police Department and all our officers are dedicated to getting crime and drugs off our streets. We take pride in what we do and are committed to our community,” said Pocatello Police Chief Roger Shei.
The BADGES team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. BADGES is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) which is composed of members from PPD, Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, Chubbuck Police Department, Idaho State Patrol, and the DEA.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the BADGES.
