Naperville man accused of having fentanyl, 'enough to kill entire cities'

DUPAGE COUNTY - A Naperville man will remain behind bars for now after he was allegedly caught with about 1,000 fentanyl tablets mailed to his home from California.

What we know:

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres said a judge granted the state’s request Friday to deny pretrial release for 30-year-old Ahmad Dinah.

Dinah faces multiple felony charges, including controlled substance trafficking and unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, both Class X felonies, and possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony.

The backstory:

According to authorities, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted a suspicious package at its Chicago facility on Nov. 3.

The package, sent from Anaheim, California, was addressed to Dinah. After obtaining a search warrant, investigators found the package contained about 1,000 fentanyl tablets.

Two days later, investigators carried out a controlled delivery to Dinah’s apartment complex. Officers reportedly saw him pick up the package from the mailroom and return to his unit. Police then executed a search warrant and say they found the opened package and tablets, which had been separated and sealed in transparent, air-sealed plastic.

Dinah was immediately arrested.

What they're saying:

Berlin praised the investigation.

"Countless lives were saved as a result of taking this fentanyl off the streets," he said. "The amount of fentanyl Mr. Dinah allegedly possessed is enough to kill entire cities and I commend the Naperville Police Department for their outstanding, proactive efforts not only on this case, but for their steadfast commitment to ridding our communities of those who peddle this poison."

What's next:

Dinah is scheduled to appear in court again on Nov. 21.