Fentanyl dealer sentenced by Maricopa County Superior Court

(The Center Square) – The Maricopa County Superior Court ruled that a man spend 5 years behind bars and 3 years in probation for being a fentanyl and methamphetamine dealer.

The case centered on two major drug deals, including the sale of 10,000 fentanyl pills and 7 pounds of meth earlier this year. Eduardo Cruz pled guilty to three felony drug charges, including "Conspiracy to Sell a Narcotic Drug" and running an illegal business.

"My office is committed to protecting Arizona communities from the dangers of drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine,” said Attorney General Mayes “We will keep working to get these drugs off our streets and hold those who distribute them accountable under the law."

Cruz will is also subject to paying $15,000 in fines.

Fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking and dealing continue to be a top concern in Arizona, which has been amplified by the border crisis. Authorities regularly announce seizures and arrests near the border and in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the two deadly drugs. The Center Square reported on Wednesday that the Phoenix Police Department arrested a woman who planned on flying to Atlanta with 50,000 fentanyl pills in her checked luggage, along with 13 pounds of the substance in powdered form.