Taylor Police brief council on multiagency fentanyl bust; department credits drones and federal partners

Taylor Police briefed the City of Taylor council on April 21 about a multiagency enforcement action that resulted in two arrests and seizures of more than 3,000 grams—reported as more than 28,000 pills—of fentanyl.

“Both of them were successfully taken into custody, and charged,” the chief told the council, adding that the suspects face felony charges that could carry decades in prison. The chief said one suspect was in the country illegally and the other was present on an expired visa and that federal agencies placed detainers on both.

The chief described the department’s collaboration with the Michigan State Police Metro Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Detroit U.S. Attorney’s Office, the DEA and other federal partners. He said the department used drones and other technology to observe suspects at a delivery location, which aided apprehension during a short foot pursuit.

Council members praised the department for the coordination and noted the volume of pills seized and the public-safety risk. The mayor said the city’s investments in technology and equipment had been useful; the chief echoed that and said federal partners also provide support at no cost to the city for some operations.

The chief cautioned that more operational details could not be disclosed because cases remain active; he emphasized the department would continue cooperating with federal partners. No policy changes or budgetary items were proposed during the briefing.

Members of the public also raised other policing and immigration-related questions during open business; the chief confirmed the department has not conducted operations for ICE and that local officers had not served as ICE officers under current agreements.