Gang investigators seize $1.5 million worth of fentanyl pills, powder in Riverside County

Gang investigators have managed to get $1.5 million worth of fentanyl pills and powder off the streets over the past two weeks, Riverside County authorities said Monday.

The fentanyl seizures happened over the course of three separate investigations conducted by the Riverside County Gang Impact Team. Authorities say the team seized an estimated 40,000 M-30 pills containing fentanyl, five kilos of powdered fentanyl, and three firearms. The estimated street value of the seized drugs is more than $1.5 million.

No further information was released because the three investigations are ongoing. But the Riverside County District Attorney's Office did say that the investigations are part of the ongoing effort to stem the flow of fentanyl into the county.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opiate that's highly addictive, 50 times more powerful than heroin, and 100 times more so than morphine. Authorities say just two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, and the substance is believed to be behind the spike in drug overdose deaths in recent years.