More than 90,000 Xanax pills seized during Border Patrol traffic stop

Packets detected inside one of the boxes seized by the Margin Patrol They contained a medication labeled as Farmapram an equivalent of Xanax Photo courtesy of U S Customs and Territory line Protection U S Margin Patrol agents intercepted over Xanax pills on Interstate this week stopping a large-scale narcotics smuggling attempt At approximately p m Wednesday agents assigned to the San Clemente Station stopped the driver of a black pickup truck traveling north near Camp Pendleton During the bicycle stop agents interviewed the driver and requested assistance from a K- unit which alerted agents to the viable presence of concealed narcotics Agents then discovered boxes containing individual packages labeled as Farmapram an over-the-counter equivalent of Xanax sold in Mexico The packages contained a total of pills with an estimated street value of over Upon further study at the San Clemente Station the driver narcotics and bus were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration The driver now faces state charges for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance This seizure sends a clear message we will not tolerate dangerous drugs on our streets explained Jeffrey Stalnaker Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the San Diego Sector Xanax a schedule IV narcotic used to treat anxiety and panic disorders can have potentially life-threatening side effects when misused for recreational purposes According to the San Diego County Drug Overdose Surveillance Analysis disclosed last year benzodiazepines the classification for brands of depressants such as Xanax Valium and Klonopin from to trailed fentanyl amphetamines and other opioids in regards to overdose deaths In the first three quarters of of overdose deaths were opioid-related with from to deaths a quarter Benzodiazepines accounted for about or fewer deaths a quarter