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ARIZONA HEALTH NEWS

Arizona AG warns about fruit-flavored cocaine after drug dealer sentenced to 1.75 years in prison

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued a public warning Thursday alerting the public about flavored cocaine, which can be laced with fentanyl.

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PHOENIX — Following the recent sentencing of a dealer peddling fruit-flavored cocaine, Arizona’s top prosecutor released a public warning on emerging street drugs.

“Today we are issuing a consumer alert for this new illegal drug that’s being sold to kids and young women,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a Thursday announcement. “It’s called flavored cocaine and it’s being sold in the flavors like pina colada, strawberry, coconut and banana.”

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In her announcement, she shared news of a drug dealer named Jaden Alfredo Covarrubias, who solicited another person to possess around 1.55 pounds of cocaine for sale on July 17.

Covarrubias said he had access to cocaine flavored like coconut, strawberry and banana. He also sold drugs on social media platforms like WhatsApp, offering them to others online, according to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

He was sentenced on Nov. 24 to 1.75 years in prison and ordered to pay:

  • $4,500 to the State Anti-Racketeering Revolving Fund
  • $300 in investigative costs to the Arizona Department of Public Safety

This sentence reflects the fact that law enforcement has identified flavored cocaine as an emerging product in the illegal drug market, with dealers using it to attract women and youth in an effort to lure new customers, Mayes said.

“Drugs like cocaine are often laced with deadly fentanyl and we want everyone to be aware of it,” she said. “We want everyone to stay safe and avoid the harms that come from using illegal drugs.”

Serena O'Sullivan KTAR News Reporter and Editor

Serena O’Sullivan is a Phoenix-based news reporter and content editor for KTAR.com, where she covers local and national stories with a digital-first approach. Her reporting has appeared in major outlets including USA Today, Arizona Republic, Phoenix… Read more

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