Via Roberts County Sheriff PRESS RELEASE (From 11/2022)
ROBERTS COUNTY DEPUTY MAKES LARGEST FENTANYL SEIZURE IN SOUTH DAKOTA HISTORY!!
On 11/26/2022 a Roberts County deputy working alongside a Sisseton-Wahpeton Tribal Police Officer conducted a traffic stop which led to the seizure of approximately 16.462 pounds of Fentanyl and Fentanyl laced pills. During the seizure, the deputy located 3.4lbs of Fentanyl powder and approximately 53,000 counterfeit pills laced with the deadly fentanyl drug.
The cost of these drugs seized exceeds 2 million dollars in street value and led to the arrest of two individuals whose identities will not be released at this time due to continued investigatory efforts by our federal partners.
According to DEA statistics this amount of Fentanyl would have the potential of killing over 3,690,000 people. The SD Census last conducted in 2020 indicates the population of SD at 886,667.
The case has been referred to the United States Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
*Drug weight and costs are unofficial estimates.
This is an unprecedented seizure of illegal drugs by a Roberts County Deputy and Tribal Officer working in concert with each other. It’s an incredible win for law enforcement. As historic as this seizure is, it is also a reminder our job as law enforcement is needed now more than ever for the safety of our communities, our citizens, and the incredible state of South Dakota. Illegal drugs continue to spill into South Dakota’s largest cities and make their way all the way down to our rural communities as drug dealers prey on our most vulnerable. The Roberts County Sheriff’s Office will continue to make it known across the area that drugs are not tolerated here and we will bring those participating in the transportation, distribution, and use of illegal drugs to justice. We want to send a very simple and clear message… DO NOT BRING YOUR DRUGS TO ROBERTS COUNTY!
– Sheriff Tyler Appel