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280K fentanyl pills seized in largest bust in state history, 6 charged

Overdose deaths from fentanyl are soaring in Minnesota
Overdose deaths from fentanyl are soaring in Minnesota 03:15

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Six people have been charged in a drug trafficking conspiracy that turned up over 280,000 fentanyl pills.

It's the largest fentanyl pill bust in state history, officials say.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger charged six people — Cornell Chandler Jr., 24, Robiel Williams, 23, Quijuan Bankhead, 30, Stardasha Davenport-Mounger, 24, Fo'Tre White, 26, and Shardai Allen, 24 — with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. 

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Washington County Sheriff's Office

The six are accused of traveling to Phoenix to get the pills from suppliers and hiding them inside stuffed animals. Then they would mail them to addresses around the Twin Cities. In all, the pills had an estimated value of over $2.2 million. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration says 2 mg of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose.

RELATED: WCCO investigates the fentanyl crisis in Minnesota

White is also charged with one count of possession of a firearm as a felon and one count of possession of a machine gun. 

Note: The video above originally aired on Oct. 24, 2023

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