Spokane drug agents seize press capable of making 17,000 fentanyl pills an hour

Investigators say they have put a dent in the surging danger of fentanyl use in the Spokane region after busting a drug operation that included a commercial-grade pill press capable of stamping 17,000 pills an hour for illegal sale.

The device was the first of its kind found with such capacity in Eastern Washington, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

The U.S. Department of Treasury says pill presses can often put custom impressions onto pills that can be misleading to whoever is taking them. For instance, “M30” is a trademark for oxycodone products. If that impression is labeled on a pill from an unauthorized pill press, it’s counterfeit.

The Drug Enforcement Administration warned in 2021 of a sharp rise in the amount of fentanyl masquerading as prescription drugs. Fentanyl is dozens of times more potent than even morphine, but it’s also cheap for drug traffickers to produce compared to acquiring legitimate prescription pills to sell.

A DEA spokesperson did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

A coalition of federal agents and local police working together as the Spokane Regional Street Crimes Unit also seized thousands of grams of cocaine, heroin, meth and fentanyl in several recent busts throughout the county.

And that wasn’t all. Agents also found 15 guns, a second smaller pill press capable of churning out up to 3,000 pills an hour, jewelry and watches, other gold and silver items, and a USB-style bitcoin wallet.

Due to the large amount of substances, the Washington State Department of Ecology assisted officers as well as SWAT and Homeland Security.

Law enforcement found 446 grams of meth, 2,057 grams of presumed fentanyl, 660 grams of heroin, 206 grams of cocaine and three kilogram-sized packages in the process of serving several search warrants, the sheriff’s office said.

One kilogram is equal to one million milligrams, meaning it’s possible the contents in the packages could produce nearly one million pills, sheriff’s office spokesperson Cpl. Mark Gregory said.

Nicholas B. Adams, 35, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver and manufacture.

Timothy G. Maddox, 43, was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault, unlawful possession of a firearm and a drive-by shooting stemming from a separate investigation.