Nearly 5 kilos of fentanyl seized during Durham traffic stop, sheriff says; suspect charged

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Thursday, July 17, 2025 11:59PM
Nearly 5 kilos of fentanyl seized during Durham traffic stop
The Durham County Sheriff's Office said a large amount of money, a firearm, and drug paraphernalia were also seized from the car.

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- At least one person is facing charges after police found nearly five kilograms of fentanyl during a traffic stop on Wednesday afternoon.

The Durham County Sheriff's Office said a large amount of money, a firearm, and drug paraphernalia were also seized from the car.

The sheriff's office said it was a joint investigation between the sheriff's Anti-Crime and Narcotics Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

A K-9 was used during the traffic stop and detected the presence of drugs, the sheriff's office said. A search found 4.8 kilos of fentanyl.

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"Two milligrams of fentanyl can be a lethal dose," said Durham County Sheriff Clarence Birkhead. "According to DEA data, one kilo of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. When you consider the population of Durham County to be just over 324,000, it's sobering to think of."

The sheriff's office said that because of the complexity of the case, it was not yet releasing the name of the suspect charged.

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