Sheriff’s Office Correctional Officers Intercept Drugs at Jail
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Jun 25, 2023, 0 Comments
Courtesy Eddie Zavala,
Laredo, TX (Webb County) – Sheriff’s Office correctional officers intercepted two clear bags containing cocaine and one clear bag containing fentanyl that was intended to make its way into the Webb County Jail.
During intake procedures, Monica Yvette Lopez, 46, underwent a full body scan that detected she was hiding the two bags of cocaine inside one of her body cavities. Further investigation revealed Lopez tossed the third bag before entering the jail.
Sheriff Martin Cuellar said the correctional officers’ quick action ensured the safety of all inmates and employees at the jail.
“These are situations that could have gone bad had our officers not reacted quickly and efficiently. Our officers are trained to handle situations such as this one and it showed during this occurrence,” said Sheriff Cuellar. “Considering the types of drugs that were confiscated, this incident could have had a much different ending had it reached the jail floors, affecting inmates and officers. Fentanyl is currently one of the most deadly drugs out on the streets.”
Fentanyl is tasteless, odorless, and too small to see. An amount about the size of two grains of salt can cause an overdose or death. More than 150 people die each day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl.
It is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. There are two types of fentanyl: pharmaceutical and illicitly manufactured. The illicitly manufactured type comes in liquid and in powder. In addition, fentanyl-laced drugs are extremely dangerous and many people may be unaware that their drugs are laced with fentanyl. In its liquid form, illicitly manufactured fentanyl can be found in nasal sprays, eye drops, and dropped onto paper or small candies.
Lopez was initially brought in by a local law enforcement agency to the jail on possession of controlled substance charges. She was additionally charged with possession of a controlled substance, prohibited substance in a correctional facility, and tampering and fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair. She remains at the Webb County Jail in lieu of a combined bond of $70,000.
Mugshot Lopez_
