BATON ROUGE — What began as a routine drug bust on August 14 in Baton Rouge has now uncovered one of the largest fentanyl seizures in U.S. history, highlighting the ongoing battle against this deadly drug.
Nearly 84 kilos, or 181 pounds, of fentanyl were confiscated from a home on Vermillion Drive in Baton Rouge on August 19, 2024. During the raid, officers seized fentanyl powder, prescription pills, and a money counter. Officials tell UWK that some of the fentanyl powder was laced with heroin. Fentanyl bricks can be broken down into powder, which is sometimes mixed with other drugs, such as heroin or methamphetamine, and then pressed into pills. These pills are sold on the streets, with each fentanyl pill costing approximately $20, according to BRPD officials.
BRPD reports that one ounce of fentanyl in the Baton Rouge metro area is valued at approximately $1,500 to $2,000. Based on that rate, the 84 kilos confiscated have an estimated street value of $4.5 million.
READ NOW: East Baton Rouge sees 6,000% increase in fentanyl deaths since 2015
“One kilo of Fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. So, this seizure has the potential to save 42 million lives by being taken off the streets,” said BRPD’s Deputy Chief Chris McClure. That amount is more than eight times the population of Louisiana and equivalent to the combined populations of the 30 most populous cities in the U.S.
UWK has learned that the original investigation began after BRPD detectives intercepted a package in early August 2024. Following the interception, BRPD’s Special Investigations Unit obtained search warrants and executed them at three different locations, resulting in one of the largest drug busts in Baton Rouge PD’s history—until this most recent seizure. Five pounds of fentanyl were confiscated during that bust. Multiple drugs and firearms were also seized, and one individual was arrested.
WATCH NOW: BRPD’s press conference on original drug bust
Officials now say that the latest drug bust is connected to the same individual arrested earlier, Cendy Sammy Keophimanh.
In connection with the most recent bust, Keophimanh has been charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, Adderall, Alprazolam, para-fluorofentanyl, and heroin. These charges are in addition to those from the previous bust. He is currently being held without bond.
The list of everything seized in the most recent drug bust includes:
- Approximately 181 pounds of Fentanyl with Para-Fluorofentanyl analogues. Some of the
seized exhibits also contain heroin - 105 d/u Adderall
- 108 d/u Xanax
- Money counter
- Air hydraulic shop press (used to press kilos)
- 42 Kilogram stamps (used to put “branding” on kilogram of drugs when pressing)
“We are committed to removing these dangerous drugs off the streets. Fentanyl is our biggest problem right now, especially with overdoses. So this bust is saving 42 million lives from potentially overdosing in our area alone. Latest stats show that our fatal overdoses in EBR are down 30.12% and our non-fatal are down 13.01%,” said McClure.
In fact, UWK researched the statistics related to fentanyl overdose deaths in East Baton Rouge Parish going back to 2015. The findings showed a 6,000% increase in the amount of people dying over fentanyl overdoses compared to nine years ago.
Prior to this historic bust, one of the largest fentanyl seizures occurred in Nebraska in May 2018, where 120 pounds were confiscated—enough to kill 26 million people, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
“Our Special Investigations Unit is committed to removing drugs and violent criminals from our streets and this is a prime example of that commitment. The hard work and dedication of this unit and all the other law enforcement agencies and federal partners are having a direct impact on our community,” said McClure.
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