Big Sky Times

An inspector with the U.S. Postal Service reported a suspicious package to the Bozeman Police Department, which led to the discovery of fentanyl and the arrest of a man on Feb. 21, according to 8 KPAX News.

Nicholas Shields, who lives in Bozeman and is 30 years old, was expected to make an appearance in the Gallatin County Justice Court last week. According to the Bozeman Police, on Feb. 17, the package originated in California and was scheduled to be delivered to a post office box in Shields' name in Bozeman. 

It was determined, following a review of the database maintained by the local law enforcement, that Shields had alerts for "drug offender." After obtaining a search warrant, the inspector opened the package and discovered a large vacuum-sealed bag inside of a Monopoly box that contained a number of little blue pills labeled "M30." Blue "M30" pills frequently contain fentanyl and are a sign of counterfeiting. 

The tablets had a total weight of 39.6 grams, which is said to be equivalent to 1,980 deadly doses. The bag containing the pills was not opened since it posed a threat to the safety of the officers, but it was estimated that there were approximately 200 pills inside.

According 8 KPAX News, Shields told the officer who arrested him that he had purchased his "medication" from an "online pharmacy" at the time of his detention. When Shields was told that he had most certainly ordered fentanyl, he admitted that he did not have a prescription, which is the reason he was ordering the drugs online in the first place.