Drug stop leads to international drug investigation

PINE BELT, Miss. - "It's probably the deadliest drug we've ever seen in the illicit drug trade ever," those are the words of Mississippi Bureau Narcotics Director, John Dowdy.

Dowdy has seen plenty in his years of law enforcement service however, there's one lethal drug on the streets of Mississippi -- Fentanyl. The drug is a synthetic opioid primarily manufactured in china and shipped to the U.S. by the ton.

"This is a death drug and people don't understand the seriousness of this drug and it's consequences. It's about 100 times more powerful than morphine and 50 times more powerful than herion. In most cases when its ingested, it ends up as a fatality," said Dowdy.

Gulf Coast authorities recently made a traffic stop that became the focal point of the international drug trafficking ring. The investigation by MBN and the F.B.I eventually led to a criminal indictment against Chinese nationalist on charges manufacturing and distributing Fentanyl.

"These drug dealers nowadays are sophisticated as some white collar criminals. This particular one and the company associated with it operated a web based supply company where you could go on the internet and type in buy Fentanyl and the company popped up," Dowdy explained.

Currently that internet domain has been seized and officials say they hope it will put a dent into the international trafficking of Fentanyl. As far as the opioid epidemic in America and in particular Mississippi. Dowdy said, "We are working with providers and prescribers that are putting prescription pain killers in the hands of Mississippians. Doctors have stepped up to the plate and we will see major changes in prescribing habits,"

Dowdy shared that his agency will also be introducing legislation to increase penalties for drug dealers who sell Herion and Fentanyl.