Three people were arrested this week after the Maricopa County Sherriff’s Office along with U.S. Department of Homeland Security officers busted an operation attempting to sell 14,000 fentanyl pills at the Arizona Mills Mall in Tempe.

The Sheriff’s Office identified the suspects as 40 year-old Roberto Yescas, 34-year-old Ines Acosta and 40-year-old Edwin Veliz-Flores.

On Wednesday afternoon, detectives observed an exchange of a “large bag” between Yescas and Flores in the parking lot of Arizona Mills, near Baseline Road and Interstate 10 in Tempe, MCSO said.

When detectives moved to make the arrest, however, all three attempted to flee, with Acosta driving, the Sheriff’s Office said.

However, deputies blocked the escape routes and took all three into custody.

Detectives recovered two packages that contained roughly 14,000 fentanyl pills — the street value of which is estimated to be $154 million.

The three suspects were booked into jail and charged with one count each of possession and sale of narcotics and one count each of transportation of narcotics.

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Fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and up to 100 times more potent than morphine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Wochit, Elissa Robinson/Wochit

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