FORT WORTH, Texas — The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office announced on Monday that a drug bust involving multiple agencies across North Texas led to the seizure of thousands of fentanyl pills.
The sheriff's office said it worked with agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Dallas and Flower Mound police departments to serve multiple federal search warrants throughout the North Texas area.
The warrants led to authorities seizing 15,000 fentanyl pills and arresting 11 suspects. The sheriff's office said 11 weapons were also seized.
The sheriff's office said two of the suspects who were arrested were charged with distributing fentanyl that resulted in death.
Further details on the operation were not immediately released.
There have been efforts within the last year to curb an increase in overdose deaths caused by fentanyl-laced pills across the nation. The Department of Justice announced last year that the DEA had seized 1.8 million fake pills and made 810 arrests nationwide within a two-month period.
North Texas residents also started initiatives to warn about the dangers of fake pills.
A local mother put up a billboard near AT&T Stadium in Arlington in October 2021, after her 22-year-old daughter died after taking a fake pill earlier this year.
“She took a Percocet, and it was laced with fentanyl.. and that took her life,” said Patricia Saldivar.
A group known as Challenge of Tarrant County sent out PSAs asking parents to keep on eye on their children's social media activity. The group said fake pills are being purchased through social media.
“It only takes a little to lose a lot. Pills purchased through social media aren’t what you think,” one person said in a Challenge of Tarrant County video.