For Immediate Release
October 2, 2025
Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson today announced the Jackson County Drug Task Force has seized more than 1,400 grams of fentanyl this year, an amount equivalent to about 714,000 potentially lethal doses. That staggering figure is nearly equal to the number of individuals living in Jackson County.
“This is not just about the numbers,” Prosecutor Johnson said. “The Jackson County Drug Task Force’s seizures are saving our children, neighbors, families, our friends. I am incredibly proud of their tireless work to protect our community in the face of this fentanyl epidemic. We’ll continue to do our part and aggressively prosecute those who continue distributing these dangerous drugs around our community.”
Just two milligrams of fentanyl, which is about the size of a few grains of salt, can be extremely fatal. That means even a small seizure can potentially save hundreds of lives.
“When you’re talking about potentially fatal doses, the numbers are staggering,” said Dan Cummings, Jackson County Drug Task Force Officer in Charge. “Dealers aren’t careful about how much fentanyl they put in counterfeit pills and to cut other drugs. The people taking these pills or other drugs have no idea if they’re ingesting something that can kill them. Every gram we seize we see as lives saved, and overdoses prevented. That’s the urgency driving our work.”
The Jackson County Drug Task Force is funded by Jackson County COMBAT and brings together detectives from multiple county police departments and sheriff’s offices with federal, state, and local agencies to target drug dealers across the metro, helping in state and federal cases. Their outstanding work has earned national recognition:
- Missouri Narcotics Officer’s Association’s Law Enforcement Unit of the Year seven times in 13 years, including 2024
- Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Outstanding Community Impact Investigation in 2023
- More than $35 million in controlled substances seized in 2024 alone
- 127 firearms confiscated last year, including illegal machine switches and silencers
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