Portland police seized enough fentanyl on Sunday to “kill the entire population of Portland.”
Matthew Carey, 33, of Portland was charged with aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs, unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs and violating conditions of release. Steven Hanson, 45, of Portland was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine. Monica Sprinkle, 38, of Windham was charged with unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and violating conditions of release, according to Brad Nadeau, a spokesperson for the Portland Police Department.
Hanson also was wanted by the U.S. Marshal Service on a warrant for weapons charges. He was taken to the Cumberland County Jail in Portland.
Police stopped the trio while they were driving on Park Avenue about 10:15 p.m., Nadeau said Wednesday.
As a result of the traffic stop, police seized 137 grams of fentanyl, which Nadeau described as an “amount large enough to kill the entire population of Portland.”
Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, is up to 100 times more potent than morphine, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Just 2 milligrams can cause a fatal overdose.
In 137 grams, there are 137,000 milligrams, or roughly 68,500 potential fatal overdoses. Portland’s population was 68,313 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Additionally, police seized 228 grams of methamphetamine, 53 grams of crack cocaine, 25 grams of cocaine hydrochloride, 73 Xanax pills and $2,606 in cash.