PALM COAST, Fla. – The execution of a search warrant at a Palm Coast home on Tuesday led to the seizure of 916 grams of fentanyl, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said.
Sheriff Rick Staly said that’s enough fentanyl to kill 481,000 people — more than the populations of Flagler and St. Johns counties combined. Federal sources told News4Jax the fentanyl recovered has a street value between $91,600 and $109,920.
While searching the home on Blasdell Court, according to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies found in the kitchen a large plastic baggie containing 510 grams of fentanyl and a plastic jar labeled “Protein” that contained 406 grams of fentanyl.
Although not confirmed yet by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Staly said he believes the drugs could have ties to a Mexican cartel.
“About a couple months ago, Marion County and Ocala recovered a number of kilos stamped with the drug cartel out of Mexico. The consistency of the color of fentanyl that we recovered, matches what they seized,” Staly said.
Deputies said 41.2 grams of Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim, a prescription-only narcotic, were also recovered from the home, as well as syringes, spoons with white powdery residue, a silicone smoking pipe with burnt cannabis residue, glass containers with residue, plastic bags with residue, and a glass vial and metal grinder located in a backpack.
The 39-year-old homeowner and a 40-year-old tenant were located inside the house and arrested, deputies said. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the 39-year-old is charged with possession of drug equipment, and the 40-year-old is charged with possession of drug equipment and possession of a legend drug without a prescription.
Neighbors said they were relieved the Sheriff’s Office shut down what deputies described as a “drug house.”
“I hope that someone nice gets into the house,” said neighbor Brycelynn Connelly.
The two men — both of whom have had prior run-ins with the Sheriff’s Office, according to deputies — were booked into the Flagler County jail. As of Wednesday, according to online jail records, the 39-year-old was being held on $2,500 bond, while the 40-year-old was being held without bond.