Attorney General Kris Mayes on Thursday announced the seizure of more than a half-million illicit fentanyl pills, resulting from an investigation between the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, the Tempe Police Department, and the Phoenix Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Last week, special agents of the Attorney General’s Office and law enforcement partners confiscated 525,000 illicit fentanyl pills and $66,000 in cash as part of the ongoing effort to combat the state’s fentanyl crisis, according to an Arizona Attorney General’s Office press release.

“This operation is a significant step forward in our ongoing fight against criminal drug distribution in our state,” Mayes stated. “The collaboration between my office and our local and federal law enforcement partners has been vital to our efforts at keeping this deadly drug off our streets.”

In addition to enforcement actions, the Attorney General's Office is also focusing its efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis on prevention and awareness. Mayes this past week announced a PSA contest on fentanyl awareness for college students across Arizona.