Fentanyl has become one of the largest sources of drug arrests and abuse in the country over the last several years.  Easy to manufacture and transport and in high demand, the drug has replaced heroin, cocaine, and other familiar illegal substances at the top of agency interdiction lists.  Fentanyl is a highly addictive and concentrated form of opioid, which has become a drug of choice among many seeking more accessible alternatives to some of the formerly higher profile drugs of the past.

Idaho is no exception to the national trend, and many communities across the state have seen staggering increases in the amount of the drug seized in raids.  It has also become a frequent contributor to deaths from overdose among users, as its potency and quality vary highly from batch to batch, due to the illicit nature of its manufacture and distribution.  Major drug cartels working both inside the country and outside its borders have found the risk of trafficking it to be irresistible, leading to what has fairly been labeled an epidemic by both law enforcement and health care officials.

Owing to its location on the I-15 corridor, Malad makes an ideal location for some as a stop on its journey into the northwestern parts of the country.  Over the weekend, a multi-agency task force made at least some dent in the ongoing trafficking with a major bust at a local gas station.  The Maverik in town was the site of a large-scale interdiction, which netted over $75,000 worth of the drug, hidden inside Doritos bags and destined for delivery elsewhere.  

While widespread use of the drug has not been noted as a major issue in the county, it is worth noting that its purchase on small communities everywhere in the country is real and believed to be increasing.

The following is a press release from the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, detailing the investigation and arrest, which took place in Malad over the weekend.

Busted.

This week, members of the Bannock County HIDTA Task Force completed a monthslong fentanyl investigation leading to the seizure of more than 5,000 fentanyl pills with an estimated $75,000 street value.

On Tuesday this week, a search warrant was executed in Pocatello by the task force (BADGES), which is comprised of members of the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, Pocatello Police Department, Idaho State Police, Chubbuck Police Department, and DEA. 

During this search warrant, we seized approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills and several thousand dollars in cash. 

On Wednesday, the Task Force apprehended the multi-state drug trafficker, Jonely Rivera Doblado, at the Maverick in Malad, with assistance from the Oneida County Sheriff's Office. Rivera Doblado is believed to have been supplied by international drug cartels. 

This arrest led to the seizure of over 4,000 fentanyl pills, which were hidden in a Doritos bag and resealed. Additional cash was also located in the vehicle and seized. 

The BADGES team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. BADGES is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), which is composed of members from BADGES.

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including BADGES.