On May 11, 2022, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit (PCU) concluded an investigation into Albert Eklund reference his involvement in narcotics sales which caused several fentanyl related overdoses to residents within Ventura County.
On March 31, 2022, Thousand Oaks Patrol deputies responded to separate drug overdose calls in the 700 block of San Doval Place and the 700 block of San Martin Place in the City of Thousand Oaks. In each case, emergency medical care provided by paramedics on scene saved the life of the victim. PCU detectives assisted with the investigation and identified Eklund as the source of supply for the fentanyl that was ingested in both overdoses.
With the assistance of Thousand Oaks Police DEU detectives, PCU served a search warrant at Eklund’s residence in the Panorama City area of Los Angeles. Eklund was arrested at the location and detectives seized six ounces of fentanyl, four ounces of methamphetamine, over 200 assorted pills containing fentanyl and MDMA, LSD, 17 pounds of marijuana, 2 firearms, a LAW rocket launcher tube, and US currency indicative of narcotics sales.
Eklund was arrested for 11351 HS- Possession for Sales of a Controlled Substance and 11352 HS- Sales of a Controlled Substance, although additional charges are expected to be filed in this case. Eklund was booked into the Ventura County Jail and is currently in custody with bail set at $250,000. His arraignment hearing was heard on May 13, 2022, in Ventura County Superior Court.
The public may contact investigators from the Ventura County Interagency Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit at (805) 383-8700 or [email protected] with additional information about this case, or any other information related to narcotics.
The Ventura County Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit is a task force made up of members from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Thousand Oaks Police Department; The primary mission of the task force is combatting the transfer of legal prescription medication and fentanyl to the illegal market. In addition, the task force works to identify and stop new trends of abuse among the younger population and investigates overdoses due to both prescription medication and illicit drug use.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is an active member of the County Opioid Abuse
Suppression Taskforce (COAST). We have partnered with Ventura County Behavioral Health in
a campaign to reduce overdoses and educate the public about the dangers of opioids and other
drugs. Comprehensive information can be found at www.VenturaCountyResponds.org.
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