Skip to Main Content

LUBBOCK, Texas — Across from a sprawling cotton field, among mobile homes in varying states of decay, one stood out: a double-wide with a new, expansive metal garage and the only paved driveway on the dead-end street.

It was here that an unemployed former computer repairman with a bad back ran what a drug informant called the biggest fentanyl ring in Lubbock. All Sidney Lanier needed was a computer and an elementary knowledge of chemistry to order shipments of the potent synthetic opioid from China and turn it into a highly profitable — and dangerous — street drug.

Unlock this article by subscribing to STAT+ and enjoy your first 30 days free!

GET STARTED
  • Only the wise will finally see that these labs, cartels, and drug dealers are 100% profiting from these idiot people that think prohibition is right. I’ll tell you one thing, if you just stopped making at least 2 of these drugs illegal, you’ll see how easy its managed by the government.

  • This so clearly demonstrates how little Trump understands about US narcoterrorism and his unwitting foolishness to not be interested in our intelligence operations. The WALL is worthless …how do you build a wall across the Pacific and Canada?!?! Highway trafficking route way stations need to be reopened for truck searches by DEA/Homeland secutiry, those trucks deviating off traditional routes need to be checked by local police. USPS needs to search all pa ages in bound .they do this in MX. All packages from out of country go through customs search and seizure in capital of state.

    • Joan, stop buying the media narrative that Trump doesn’t care to be informed of intelligence operations. That is not what he said. He said he didn’t feel it necessary to attend a meeting everyday if there was nothing new to report or update. Stop with the hate! Give the man a chance. I had to endure 8 years of Obama, you can certainly endure 8 from Trump.

Comments are closed.