PORTLAND Ore. 30 – Recently, Oregon State Police and the Portland Police Bureau partnered on a drug enforcement mission targeting drug dealers in downtown Portland. The mission resulted in ten arrests for distribution of fentanyl.  The Wednesday, July 17, 2024, mission was part of an ongoing effort among the two agencies to disrupt fentanyl use and distribution in the city. The mission brought together PPB’s Central Bike Squad, OSP’s Drug Enforcement Section, and Mobile Response Team which has been deployed for downtown Portland enforcement efforts since October 2023. Since its initial deployment, the team has completed more than 40 missions.  During the operation, the interagency team seized 243.3 grams of powdered fentanyl, 2.6 grams of methamphetamine, $2,131 in U.S. currency, and one firearm. Twelve individuals were arrested, with ten charged with distributing fentanyl.  Most of those arrested were males between 23 and 49 years of age and from the greater Portland area.  Oregon Health Authority and Centers for Disease Control data shows fentanyl has surpassed methamphetamine as the leading cause of overdose deaths in Oregon. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), seven out of ten pills seized by law enforcement contain a potentially fatal dose (2 mg) of fentanyl.  The Oregon State Police and Portland Police Bureau were assisted in the mission by the Linn County Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (LINE) and the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF).