State police seize fentanyl during turnpike traffic stop in York

Maine State Police said they confiscated nearly 120 grams of fentanyl during a traffic stop Thursday on the Maine Turnpike in York.

Troopers arrested Chad Stevens, 35, of Cornville, charging the Somerset County man with Class A aggravated trafficking in Schedule W drugs.

According to a news release posted on the state police Facebook page, troopers stopped Stevens’ vehicle around 4:45 p.m. on the Maine Turnpike in York. Police said the traffic stop was the result of “criminal indicators,” which is why they brought in a drug sniffing canine.

The dog, known as K9 Pinny, conducted a vehicle sniff, which led to police searching the vehicle and locating a small amount of crack cocaine, crack cocaine paraphernalia, and about 119 grams of fentanyl, state police said.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Illegally made fentanyl can lead to overdose or death when mixed with heroin or cocaine.

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