November 16, 2023 3:40 a.m.

On Wednesday, the Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division, along with the Oregon State Police and Grants Pass Police Department announced the takedown of a drug and firearm trafficking ring in southern Oregon.

A DEA release said the investigation started about 18 months ago and resulted in the execution of 9 search warrants in and around Grants Pass. 24 people were arrested, 37 firearms were seized, as well as large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Even before Tuesday’s enforcement action, the team had already seized 40 pounds of methamphetamine, 3 pounds of cocaine, one-half pound of heroin, and more than 9 pounds of fentanyl. The fentanyl seized held the potential to yield more than 144,000 deadly doses.

In Oregon, DEA has seized more than 3.84 million deadly doses of fentanyl so far this year, which is double the amount seized in all of last year.

The release said the takedown was made possible because of the cooperative efforts of DEA and its five offices throughout Oregon along with many law enforcement partners in southern and central Oregon. The list included the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team in Douglas County.

DEA said last year 110,757 Americans were killed as a result of drug poisonings. 70 percent involved fentanyl and 30 percent involved methamphetamine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. DEA laboratory testing indicates that 7 of of every 10 pills seized by DEA contain a lethal dose of fentanyl.