LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville police seized a massive stash of fentanyl as part of an ongoing U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigation, LMPD officials said on Tuesday.


What You Need To Know

  • Louisville police seized a stash of fentanyl large enough to kill over 4 million people

  • The bust is part of an ongoing investigation with the DEA

  • 8.5 kilograms of fentanyl were seized, and 2 mg is considered fatal

  • Overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl rose 55.6% in 2021

The 8.5 kilogram stash of suspected fentanyl was found with around 30,000 fentanyl pills during a search of a storage unit on Monday.

According to the DEA, 2 mg of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose. That means a kilogram of the opioid could lead to 500,000 fatalities. 

Based on those numbers, the size of the stash seized by LMPD had the potential to kill over 4 million people—over six times the population of Louisville.

"While the investigation does remain ongoing, this serves as a reminder that the diligent work of officers saves lives every day," investigators wrote on Facebook.

Fentanyl is likely the main driver behind the sharp increase in opioid overdoses and deaths, according to the DEA. CDC data found overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl rose 55.6% in 2021.

Nearly 2,000 Kentuckians died from drug overdoses in 2020, an increase of 49% from the year before, according to a report from the Office of Drug Control Policy.