LONDON, Ohio (WSYX) — A routine traffic stop in February led to a significant drug bust when Pickerington police say they discovered 3,700 pills labeled as oxycodone in the vehicle of 41-year-old Jorge Santillan.
Upon inspection, an officer remarked, “Looks like a bunch of pills,” as he could be seen on body camera video retrieving a bag of tablets from a gym bag in the front seat.
The pills were sent to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s (BCI) drug lab in London, where forensic scientists determined they contained carfentanil, a potentially lethal substance.
“This is 3,700 tablets, which is very serious,” said Lynne Strainic, chemistry supervisor with BCI’s drug lab. Strainic told ABC 6 the staff was shocked after learning carfentanil was present in 3,700 counterfeit painkillers.
Forensic scientists made the discovery after dissolving the pill samples into liquid and testing the vapors.
The discovery comes amid a resurgence of carfentanil in Ohio, following a spike in 2017. In 2023, the lab identified nine cases, while last year, 40 samples were confirmed.
In the first quarter of 2025 alone, 32 samples were confirmed to contain carfentanil, a drug typically used as a tranquilizer for large animals and not intended for human use.
“It poses a very big health hazard, it’s very potent, and only a very small amount could be lethal to humans,” said Strainic.
The majority of cases have emerged in central Ohio, particularly in Delaware, Franklin, and Fairfield counties. “Most likely because of the cartel in the area,” Strainic said. “To see carfentanil emerge is sort of a new trend.”
Earlier this year, in an unrelated case, BCI forensic scientists identified a fentanyl compound that had never been reported by any other drug labs in the country. The compound was so rare that forensic scientists were able to name the substance, now known as fentanyl methylene homolog. “It’s a great feeling, for at least the drug chemists here, because it keeps us on our toes and keeps us on the forefront of drug trends,” said Strainic.
In addition to the pills, white powder found in Santillan’s car tested positive for a form of powerful fentanyl. Santillan, believed by police to be from Mexico, is now locked up and facing multiple felony drug charges.
While Ohio is experiencing a spike in carfentanil, methamphetamines, and cocaine remain the most commonly tested illicit drugs at BCI. Designer drugs are just a fraction of the illegal substances uncovered by forensic scientists year-round.
“We see novel substances every day,” said Strainic. “It’s a cat and mouse game. These are illicit chemists trying to skirt the laws.”
