Massive Fentanyl Bust in Mankato: Thousands of Counterfeit Tablets Seized

Police in southern Minnesota arrested multiple people on Saturday after discovering thousands of fentanyl tablets.

During a search warrant execution in Mankato, agents from the Minnesota River Valley Drug Force discovered approximately 6,000 counterfeit tablets. Authorities report that the tablets found in the field tested positive for fentanyl.

Six people aged 26 to 40 were detained for carrying and distributing counterfeit oxycodone tablets, according to the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office. Although no formal charges have been brought against any of the suspects, the task force has urged that all implicated be charged with first-degree sales and possession of a prohibited narcotic.

According to data from the Minnesota Department of Health, fentanyl was implicated in more than 90% of opioid-related deaths and more than 60% of overdose deaths in 2022.

Special test strips, which can detect the presence of fentanyl in drug samples before consumption, are available at numerous sites around the state. Naloxone, a potentially life-saving medicine that can reverse an opioid overdose, is also available for free from many charitable groups or for purchase over the counter.