Police in Portland seized enough fentanyl to kill 33,500 people during an arrest and drug search on Monday.
The department says 38-year-old Martin Benjamin was suspected of participating in illegal drug activity near 55 Portland Street. A search turned up 67 grams of fentanyl and small amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine hydrochloride.
Benjamin was arrested and charged with drug trafficking and violating conditions of release. He’s being held at Cumberland County Jail without bail.
Police say overdoses in the city have increased by 24.7 percent from 2022 to 2023. There were 178 reported overdoses in 2022 and 222 in 2023. That’s smaller than the 89.4 percent increase from 2021 to 2022.
