KENNEWICK, Wash. — Approx. 14,300 fentanyl pills, including the first sizable quantity of ‘rainbow’ or ‘skittles’ pills, were seized concurrently in Kennewick and Richland through a widescale bust from a Tri-Cities drug task force.
According to the Kennewick Police Department, Tri-City Metro Drug Task Force crews conducted two simultaneous raids at homes on the 1900-block of Hood Ave in Richland and the 1800-block of W 31st Ave in Kennewick last week.
An unnamed 36-year-old woman was arrested while investigators seized the fentanyl-laced pills, an estimated 1.5 lbs of methamphetamine and a gun from the two locations.
Fentanyl, a dangerous opioid that can be deadly even in small doses, has become the most common drug consumed by substance abusers across the country. Generally, these pills come in a light blue shade but have more recently been uncovered in a multicolored form across the Northwest.
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Authorities fear that these multi-colored drugs would be especially dangerous for children, who could conceivably mistake the deadly substance for candy. Although this isn’t the first sighting of ‘rainbow fentanyl’ in the Tri-Cities area, it’s the first time that such a massive quantity has been recovered.
Detectives and prosecutors from across the Tri-Cities, plus some federal agents, were involved in this operation. The following groups played a part in this massive operation:
- Richland Police Department
- Kennewick Police Department
- Pasco Police Department
- West Richland Police Department
- Benton County Sheriff’s Office
- Franklin County Sheriff’s Office
- Benton County Prosecutor’s Office
- Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- U.S Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington
If you or someone you know needs resources to combat addiction, they can call the 24/7 Washington Recovery Help Line at 1-866- 789-1511. Keep in mind that life-saving medication is available to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses, so in case of an emergency, don’t hesitate to call 911.
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