Portland police seized approximately 8 pounds of fentanyl and arrested two people Saturday, June 20, after a pursuit that started near Dawson Park and ended in a crash near the Glen Jackson Bridge.
Officers from multiple Portland Police Bureau units were conducting a proactive operation in North Portland around 4 p.m. when they spotted two males in a sedan engaged in what officers described as suspicious criminal activity, according to PPB. When officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver fled at high speed.
Ground units disengaged because of the driver's reckless behavior. PPB's Air Support Unit tracked the sedan from above while K9 officers and Port of Portland Police deployed spike strips, slowing the vehicle. The car crashed near the south end of the Glen Jackson Bridge, and both occupants ran.
Officers set up a perimeter and took both into custody after a coordinated search.
A vehicle search conducted with assistance from PPB's Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit turned up roughly 8 pounds of fentanyl in both bulk and distribution-ready packaging, along with a large amount of cash and multiple cell phones.
The driver, a 17-year-old male, was booked at the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Center on charges including reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person, attempt to elude a police officer, and drug-related offenses. The passenger, 19-year-old Elvin D. Santos-Rosales, was booked at the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of possession of fentanyl, unlawful delivery of fentanyl, and an outstanding warrant.
"This seizure represents a significant disruption to illegal drug activity and potentially prevented countless deadly doses of fentanyl from reaching our community," Police Chief Bob Day said in a statement released Monday, June 22.
PPB said no further information would be released. The bureau thanked Port of Portland Police for their assistance.
Anyone with information about drug activity in Portland can contact the PPB tip line at 503-823-4400 or email [email protected].
