Buckeye police seize about 15,000 fentanyl pills during busts

PHOENIX — The Buckeye Police Department seized about 15,000 fentanyl pills and other contraband during two traffic stops earlier this month.

Police found about 2,700 pills, more than $7,000 in cash, methamphetamine and a concealed handgun in the vehicle of Alexis Arroyo Zamora on Jan. 11 after he was stopped near MC-85 and Baseline Road for a traffic violation, according to a press release from Buckeye police.

Zamora, 20, told police the pills were his and that the money was a result of selling them, the release said.

Zamora was booked on charges including trafficking narcotics, possession of narcotics for sale, possession of dangerous drugs and misconduct involving a weapon.

On Monday, Buckeye police made a second bust.

Maximiliano Rodriguez, 30, was arrested after more than 12,000 “M30” fentanyl pills were found under his rear passenger seat following a traffic stop near State Route 85 and Southern Avenue.

The street value on the pills was more than $120,000, according to the release.

Rodriguez told police he went to Sonora, Mexico, to visit family and was offered money to transport the pills to Phoenix, according to the release.

He was booked on a charge of transportation of narcotics for sale.

“The fact that thousands of fentanyl pills, a powerful opioid, were intercepted by our officers could mean the difference between life and death for one of our citizens,” Buckeye Police Chief Larry Hall said in the release. “Every one of these seizure matters and I continue to be proud of the work our officers do every day to safeguard this community.”

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