Oregon Gov. Kotek directs state police to crack down on fentanyl distribution

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek says she has directed state police to launch new strategies aimed at disrupting the fentanyl supply chain and holding sellers of the illegal and often deadly drug accountable. Kotek made the announcement at a Tuesday meeting of her task force created to revitalize downtown Portland. The statement says Oregon State Police will increase and reallocate state police staff to local drug enforcement teams, make training available to address potential biases and avoid unlawful searches, and host interagency patrols that stress intercepting fentanyl using drug dogs. So far this year, the agency has seized nearly 233,000 fentanyl pills and 62 pounds of powder.