ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (WKRG)— For the second time this summer in Orange Beach, fentanyl has been discovered inside a folded one-dollar bill that had been dropped on the ground. This time it happened at the police department.
A security camera outside the Orange Beach Police Department captures a woman, identified as Sarah Dailey from Foley, leaving Sunday morning when something falls to the ground.
“She drops a wrapped-up dollar bill about so big. The officer that actually found it said it looked like origami with the dollar bill right there in the grass in front of the police department,” says Lt. Trent Johnson.
The dollar bill lay in the grass for about ten hours before an officer spotted it.
“When he opened it up and realized there was powder inside of it he threw it down,” says Johnson. “We called for medics to get checked out just a precautionary measure. He was fine. His supervisor came on the scene, checked the dollar bill, tested it, it tested positive for fentanyl and he was also checked by medics.”
Dailey, 26, is now in the Baldwin County Jail charged with possession of a controlled substance and reckless endangerment.
Fentanyl is a highly potent, man-made opioid. Only a trace of the fine powder can kill. Wrapping it in paper money is a new way to conceal it according to Johnson.
“If we are dealing with somebody and the drop part of a dollar bill on the ground possibly crumpled up in their pocket, we may not think anything of it, or at least we wouldn’t have six weeks ago. Now, we look at that as potential narcotics paraphernalia as well.”
“Now that it has happened at least twice in Orange Beach, the warning couldn’t be stronger. “If you find some folded up money on the ground, leave it alone,” says Johnson.
Similar cases have been reported in Destin and at least two cities in Tennessee.