Hernando County deputies make latest fentanyl bust as law enforcement agencies work to keep it off the streets

BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - Fentanyl is showing up in bigger amounts in some Tampa Bay area communities with the latest seizure in Hernando County.

On Monday, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office said deputies arrested a man they believe sold fentanyl in the Highland Community. Detectives said the fentanyl they’re finding comes mainly in powder form and also as pills.

"A lot of the users that were using methamphetamine two years ago, three years ago are now using this," said Sgt. Michael O’Brien of the vice and narcotics unit at the sheriff's office.  

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O'Brien said the largest bust the vice and narcotics unit bade this year was five pounds. 

"Seizing this amount has a larger impact on the community, and it helps to reduce things like overdose deaths, property crimes that has fueled by drug usage," said O’Brien.

Hernando County’s undercover detectives are discovering more about how prevalent the drug is within the community.

"We’re seeing people that are selling in bigger quantities. So, the availability of it is a lot higher, and the investigations that we’re working, we’re seizing a lot more in weight," said O’Brien.

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Hernando County’s fentanyl-related drug arrest comes just a week after the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office indicted a man for murdering a teen through a fentanyl overdose.

"Fentanyl deaths are too common these days," said Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri on Dec. 5. "Unfortunately, it’s extremely prevalent, and some people knowingly use fentanyl. They buy fentanyl, they like to use it and then of course the question then becomes why."

The Drug Enforcement Administration said one kilogram of fentanyl can provide a lethal dose to 500,000 people. O’Brien said they have about 2,550 grams of seized fentanyl, and that’s enough to kill 1.275 million people or the entire population of Hernando County six times over. So, deputies want everyone’s help to keep it out of neighborhoods.

"We want to make sure that the community knows they are not alone," O'Brien said. "We tell people constantly if you have a problem in your neighborhood with people selling drugs then they are encouraged to call us directly or utilize crime stoppers."

Narcan is the main antidote for overdoses, and the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office said so far this year, deputies deployed Narcan 40 times, fire rescue used it 120 times, and people out in the community used it 82 times. The sheriff’s office also said 90 people had a fentanyl-related accidental overdosed and 28 people died.