On February 14th, 2024, the Ventura County Fentanyl and Overdose Crimes Units (VC FOCUS) concluded an investigation into Alex Hansen who was involved in the sales of illegal narcotics to residents of Ventura County.
In June of 2023, detectives developed information that Hansen was selling methamphetamine from his residence in the city of Santa Paula. Detectives conducted surveillance of Hansen and observed several narcotics transactions he was involved in. On August 22, 2023, detectives detained Hansen pursuant to a search warrant, then searched his residence and a storage unit he utilized in the city of Oxnard. Detectives seized ½ lb. of methamphetamine and 100 rounds of ammunition. Hansen was arrested on felony charges of possessing a dangerous drug for sale and being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition.
Within days after Hansen was released from custody, detectives received additional information that Hansen was again actively selling methamphetamine and a second investigation was started.
On February 14th, 2024, detectives served another search warrant at Hansen’s residence. During the search, detectives seized over ¼ lb. of methamphetamine, along with a usable quantity of psilocybin mushrooms, and U.S. currency believed to be derived from the sale of narcotics.
Hansen was arrested and booked into the Ventura County Pre Trial-Detention Facility on a felony charge of 11378 HS- Possession for Sales of a Dangerous Drug and a misdemeanor charge of 11377 HS- Possession of a Dangerous Drug. Hansen remains in custody in lieu of $170,000 bail.
One of the local trends that VC FOCUS has been tracking is the addition of fentanyl to other drugs such as methamphetamine and cocaine. This combination not only adds to the potency of the drug being purchased, but often causes unsuspecting users to suffer opioid related overdoses when they don’t know they are ingesting a drug as potent as fentanyl. This deadly poly-drug combination was noted in the recent 2023 Overdose Report by the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office. Of the 234 accidental fatal overdoses suffered by Ventura County residents, 170 of those were cases where more than one drug was detected.
VC FOCUS is a task force made up of all Ventura County regional law enforcement agencies. The primary mission of this partnership is to combat fentanyl related crimes and opioid overdoses by targeting the supply chain of individuals and criminal organizations responsible for the sales of these drugs into Ventura County. In addition, the task force works to identify new trends of abuse among the younger population and educate the community at large on the lethal danger of this epidemic.
VC FOCUS has partnered with Ventura County Behavioral Health as an active member of the County Opioid Abuse Suppression Team (COAST) 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.
The public may contact investigators from VC FOCUS at (805) 383-8700 or [email protected] with additional information about this case, or any other information related to narcotics.
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