MCSO makes 3 arrests in fentanyl bust

UPDATE: Three people arrested Monday on fentanyl traffic trafficking charges had their bond hearings Wednesday morning.

Elizabeth Harvell and Dale Wilkerson were each given a $1 million bond with a $10,000 cash component. Darrell Weaver Jr. was given no bond.

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EARLIER STORY:

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office arrested three suspects for trafficking fentanyl on Monday.

Authorities said they received information on a suspect selling fentanyl in the south Mobile County area and located a vehicle driven by the suspect on Irvington Bayou La Batre Highway.

Deputies said they pulled the vehicle over and discovered 3.3 grams of suspected white fentanyl powder and 1.4 grams of suspected purple fentanyl powder in the car.

The three individuals inside the vehicle were detained and a search warrant was obtained for their residence at 146578 Niolon Lane in Coden where deputies found 14.8 grams of suspected white fentanyl powder and 16.9 grams of suspected purple fentanyl powder, according to officials. Sheriff Burch said the purple fentanyl isn’t necessarily more dangerous-- just dyed a different color.

Dale Wilkerson, 69, Darrell Allen Weaver Jr., 41, and Elizabeth Daryl Harvell, 37, were all booked and charged with possession of paraphernalia and trafficking fentanyl, according to jail records. MCSO said they all lived together.

“We will not tolerate the sale or distribution of fentanyl in this County,” says Sheriff Paul Burch. “If we receive information about you selling, we are coming after you and will make sure you are fully held accountable for your actions.”

MCSO said a total of 36.4 grams of suspected fentanyl powder were found during the investigation.

“If you go by the standard where a sugar packet or sweet n low is a gram, then that could kill hundreds if not thousands of people,” said Sheriff Burch. “So you multiply that, it could be very deadly to a very large population.”

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