LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Authorities seized a huge haul of drugs this week that could have flooded Lexington and surrounding communities. Bricks of meth, bags of coke, and nearly 20,000 doses of fentanyl were recovered.
"This is one of the larger busts we've had in recent history," said Commander Matt Greathouse with the Lexington Police Department.
Each pill or gram could have gone into the bloodstream of people, young and old, right here in our community, maybe closer to home than that.
"We hope that each one of those pills is potentially a life that would be saved," he said. "I've seen drugs take over a human body in a way that's hard to describe and in a way that affects not only the person but also the family. It's a ripple effect that goes all the way down to the children."
This all started with a hostage situation Monday off I-75 at a truck stop near Exit 49. Three people were arrested there in Laurel County's biggest meth bust ever.
Then, on Tuesday at Cambridge Drive in Lexington, two others were taken into custody. Police say up to $2 million worth of drugs were taken off the streets.
"It does disrupt the sale of that drug and we believe it will have an impact on violent crime," said Commander Greathouse. "At least we hope."
The real value may be the people who won't be hurt, at least by these drugs.
"We continue to go out there cause we love this community," he said. "We want to do everything we can to save at least one person."
Commander Greathouse and others have a vested interest in Lexington's battle against narcotics.
"I've poured myself into this community for at least 23 years of my career," he said. "I love this place. I'm here to fight for a reason. I feel it's noble to be out there fighting for those that don't have the power to fight for themselves."
