During the early weeks of July 2022, Agents with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Drug Enforcement Unit and the Detectives with Decatur Police Department Vice/Narcotics Unit conducted an investigation with investigators of the United States Postal Service. The investigation occurred in southwest Decatur and involved the illegal transportation of narcotics into the area.

During the course of the investigation, Agents seized between 10,000-12,000 controlled substance tablets. It is presumed that the tablets that were recovered were Alprazolam (Xanax).

Due to the large number of pills and tablets that are illegally purchased, the tablets recovered in this case will be submitted to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for analysis. Agents have observed a resurgence in counterfeit pills throughout Decatur and Morgan County.

Typically, counterfeit pills contain ingredients that are not in the actual medication in which they depict.

For instance, Agents have recovered presumed Alprazolam pills, but after further analysis, it was determined that the pills contained Fentanyl. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that is prone to trigger overdoses and deaths. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, 4 out of 10 illegally purchased pills contained a lethal dose of fentanyl.

The case is ongoing with multiple arrests likely.