AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department conducted a sting operation and arrested five people Thursday who were allegedly found with crack cocaine that tested positive for fentanyl, police said.
“These arrests come from investigating the source of the illicit narcotics related to the recent overdoses,” APD said in a press release Monday.
Last week, Austin-Travis County, Texas EMS and other city officials said it was facing a “surge” of overdoses around Austin. Officials said there were a total of 79 suspected overdose incidents, nine deaths and 438 doses of Narcan distributed.
In arresting documents, police claim marijuana confiscated in the incidents also tested positive for fentanyl.
Police from APD’s organized crime division’s gang suppression unit honed in on “high narcotics trafficking locations,” where an undercover officer went to purchase drugs, per police documents. The operation came amid an overdose surge that resulted in more than 70 overdoses and multiple opioid-related deaths in Austin.
Officers focused on surveillance efforts near North Lamar Boulevard and Rutland Drive, described in police documents as an “active open-air drug market.” Police noted they’d seen several drug deals happen at this site.
Just before 2 p.m. Thursday, documents said an undercover officer went to Cash America Pawn at 9616 N. Lamar Blvd., where a man walked up to the officer’s window. The officer asked for crack cocaine and offered $40 for the exchange, police documents said.
The suspect allegedly gave the undercover officer two pieces of crack cocaine before he was apprehended. Police documents identified the suspect as 32-year-old Kanady Arkangelo Rimijo.
While police searched the suspect, officials claim they found eight bags of marijuana. Documents said both the crack cocaine handed to the undercover officer as well as the marijuana tested positive for fentanyl.
“The suspected marijuana was tested for the presence of opioids, as there have been several overdose cases, arrests, and other purchases made by undercover officers in the past 72 hours that involved narcotics that do not normally contain opioids (crack cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana),” police documents said.
Police arrested Rimijo and charged him with Manufacture Delivery of Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1B, a first-degree felony. Court documents reveal Rimijo’s bond was set at $20,000.
At the time of publishing, information related to an attorney for Rimijo wasn’t available.
Police arrested and charged four additional suspects.
Marcellus Barron, 30, was charged with second-degree felony delivery of a controlled substance. Gary Lewis, 50, and Denise Horton, 47, were charged with second-degree felony possession of a controlled substance. Ronnie Mims, 45, was charged with third-degree felony possession of a controlled substance.
KXAN is working to reach out to attorneys representing the accused. This story will be updated if we receive a statement or comment on their behalf.
KXAN reached out to APD to learn how often the department discovers a cross-contamination of fentanyl in marijuana or laced marijuana. KXAN also reached out to APD to see if the department and city leaders are re-evaluating a 2020 council policy de-prioritizing enforcement of low level marijuana possession charges. We will update this story once we receive a response.
