Credit: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives arrested a Santa Maria man on Thursday, August 4, and seized a massive amount of various illegal drugs, including 17,000 fentanyl pills. 

Detectives served a search warrant at a residence in the 100 block of North Curryer Street at around 7 a.m. As a result of the warrant, detectives seized about 17,000 suspected counterfeit opiate fentanyl pills, 22.5 pounds of cannabis flower, 27 grams of MDMA or ecstasy, 218 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, three grams of cocaine, and hundreds of acid tabs. 

Some of these dangerous narcotics were found in areas accessible to children living in the residence. Following the search, detectives arrested 21-year-old Victor Olivera-Hernandez and booked him at the Northern Branch Jail for child cruelty, unlawful possession of ammunition, and possession of narcotics for sales. He is being held on an enhanced bail of $250,000.

Between January 2021 and January 2022, there were more than 133 overdose deaths in Santa Barbara County, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office report “The Changing Overdose Crisis in California: A Community Needs Assessment of Santa Barbara County.”

Fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Early signs of a problem with opioid medications can include taking prescribed drugs for longer than recommended, needing higher doses to feel pain relief, and seeking medications from other people or illegally on the streets.

An opioid use disorder can lead to behavioral changes such as isolation from family and friends, increased conflicts in relationships, problems at work or school, money issues or selling of possessions. Narcan, a drug that can rapidly reverse opioid overdoses, is available for free at multiple locations, including UCSB, Santa Barbara County Behavioral Wellness, and CVS. 


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