A Lynnwood man and woman were arrested late Saturday morning after the county’s drug task force seized 1,400 grams of fentanyl, the largest amount ever confiscated in Snohomish County. 

According to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force arrested a 38-year-old man and 36-year-old woman during a traffic stop in the 18200 block of 59th Avenue Northeast in Arlington during a drug-related investigation. 

After obtaining a search warrant for the vehicle, detectives reported recovering 13 grams of heroin in the center console and a pistol hidden under the passenger seat floorboard. While searching the suspects’ residence — located in the 15900 block of 35th Place West in unincorporated Lynnwood — detectives reported finding the following:

• Approximately 1,400 grams of fentanyl powder
• Approximately 808 grams of heroin
• Approximately 12 grams of methamphetamine
• Several blenders with copious amounts of suspected drug residue in them
• Several digital scales with suspected drug residue on the weigh plates
• Copious amounts of various types of drug packaging materials, to include vacuum sealable bags and a vacuum sealer
• Copious amounts of cutting agents for the manufacture of illicit narcotics for sale
• Binding agents for the express purpose of producing counterfeit pills
• A 9mm handgun
• A pistol grip 12-gauge shotgun with a sawed off barrel and an obliterated serial number
• Various calibers of ammunition
• Approximately $14,000 in cash

 The street value of the fentanyl seized was reported to range between $14 million to $23 million. With that, detectives said 1.4 million pills could have been produced. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid similar to morphine but 50 to 100 times more potent and is often used to make counterfeit prescription pills.

In 2018, the Center for Disease Control reported more than 31,000 people died from overdoses involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl. With the supply seized Saturday, detectives said the amount of fentanyl could potentially have resulted in 700,000 deaths.

Both suspects were arrested and booked into the Snohomish County Jail. The man was booked for three felony charges for manufacturing and selling, and unlawful possession of a firearm. The female suspect was also booked for three felony charges for manufacturing and selling and possession of a controlled substance.

–By Cody Sexton