Up to 10,000 fentanyl pills confiscated during traffic stop: Lake County sheriff

LOWELL, Ind. - Lake County Sheriff's Department officers seized up to 10,000 fentanyl pills during a traffic stop on I-65 on Wednesday, according to officials.

What we know:

A 33-year-old driver, identified as Nigel Beach of Shelbyville, Ky., was stopped by officers for a windshield obstruction and a moving violation while heading south near Lowell, Ind. 

While Beach was getting his vehicle documents, officers saw suspected marijuana inside the car. Later, officers found several plastic bags containing anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 fentanyl pills on the floor of the vehicle. 

Nigel Beach of Shelbyville, Kentucky was stopped by Lake County Sheriff's Department offficers (Lake County Sheriff Department)

Beach was taken into custody and is being held at the Jasper County Jail.

What we don't know:

Criminal charges for Beach are still pending at this time. 

What they're saying:

"I am extremely proud of our officers for confiscating such a significant amount of fentanyl," Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. said in a statement. "As of this week the DEA has seized more than 29.7 million fentanyl pills nationwide, representing more than 139 million deadly doses.  Every pill removed from our streets represents a life potentially saved.  I commend the officers involved in this case for their diligence and commitment in the ongoing fight against the spread of opioids."