Federal prosecutors allege that a man living in the U.S. illegally sold counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl at a farmers market in Forest Park, Georgia, Breitbart reports.
According to court documents, Luis Sanchez-Acevedo, a Mexican citizen, was taken into custody on January 16 at his produce stand after being charged with distributing fentanyl. Prosecutors allege that between September and October of last year, Sanchez-Acevedo sold about 3,000 counterfeit “M-30” pills containing fentanyl at the market.
United States Attorney Theodore Hertzberg said in a statement, “Sanchez-Acevedo allegedly distributed deadly ‘tranq’ pills containing fentanyl and xylazine at a farmers market where he sold fruits and vegetables. Our community is a safer place now that this illegal alien and his lethal pills are off the streets.”
Federal agents reportedly discovered roughly 1,000 fentanyl pills at Sanchez-Acevedo’s stand during his arrest, according to Breitbart.
Fentanyl has reshaped the opioid crisis in the United States, driving overdose deaths to record levels and straining families, health systems, and communities. The drug’s extreme potency—where just a few milligrams can be lethal—and its spread throughout the illegal drug supply mean that many people overdose without even realizing they are taking fentanyl, increasing deaths among both long‑time drug users and casual or first‑time users.
The Trump administration has placed a strong emphasis on removing criminal illegal aliens involved in drug trafficking, noting that these measures reduce the flow of deadly narcotics like fentanyl across the southern border and save American lives.