News

Aug 22, 2023

DOJ: fentanyl stuffed in vacuum cleaner in Garfield Heights, more drugs in Avon

by: Paul Kiska Posted: Aug 5, 2023 / 04:07 PM EDT Updated: Aug 5, 2023 / 04:46 PM EDT *Above video is a previous story about ‘rainbow fentanyl’ that looks like candy* CLEVELAND (WJW) — Federal

by: Paul Kiska

Posted: Aug 5, 2023 / 04:07 PM EDT

Updated: Aug 5, 2023 / 04:46 PM EDT

*Above video is a previous story about ‘rainbow fentanyl’ that looks like candy*

CLEVELAND (WJW) — Federal investigators say a drug investigation involved finding a large amount of fentanyl inside a vacuum cleaner and luggage.

Investigators said a parcel containing the drug-filled vacuum cleaner was mailed to a house in Garfield Heights.

On Saturday the Department of Justice announced that Solomon Odubajo, 37, of Tempe, Arizona was sentenced to 248 months in prison in connection with those items stuffed with narcotics.

The more than 20-year sentence is for convictions on six felony counts including conspiracy to distribute, possess fentanyl and interstate travel in aid of racketeering,

Prosecutors said Odubajo mailed a parcel from Arizona to an address in Garfield Heights in April of 2020.

U.S. postal inspectors in Cleveland intercepted the parcel and obtained a search warrant for it.

After opening the parcel, the postal inspectors found that it contained approximately one kilogram of fentanyl pills stamped to look like blue oxycodone pills.

The pills were hidden inside of a vacuum cleaner that was in the parcel, according to the DOJ.

The Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Sciences Laboratory found fingerprints on the inside of the parcel.

Postal inspectors made the parcel available for pickup at a post office in Cleveland as part of an undercover operation.

Odubajo and a codefendant arrived at the post office and picked up the parcel from an undercover postal inspector.

Investigators said Odubajo then drove the parcel to a residence in Avon, where he was arrested.

When law enforcement searched Odubajo’s vehicle, they found a hidden compartment containing a loaded handgun and approximately $17,500 in cash.

When they searched the Avon residence where Odubajo was arrested, they found more drugs inside Odubajo’s luggage, as well as another half-kilogram of blue counterfeit fentanyl pills.

A total of 15,000 illegal pills were inside the vacuum, luggage and Avon home, according to the DOJ.

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