PHENIX CITY, Ala.(WRBL) — One anonymous tip. That’s all it took to set off what Russell County Sheriff Heath Taylor is calling the largest fentanyl bust in the agency’s history, and one of the most substantial narcotics seizures the department has ever seen.
Roughly 2,344 grams — about five pounds — of fentanyl were recovered during a raid on a Phenix City home, along with $171,000 in cash, four firearms, and an array of other illegal drugs, including meth, heroin, cocaine, and MDMA. One of the guns seized was a “ghost gun” — untraceable, with no serial number.
Sheriff Taylor said the fentanyl, enough to kill thousands, was allegedly being distributed by 40-year-old Darren Mitchell, a Phenix City man who, until now, had not been on law enforcement’s radar. Sheriff Jones says it appears mitchell lived in Georgia before traveling to Phenix City. He remains at the Russell County Detention Facility on no bond.
“This is truly a life-saving drug bust,” Sheriff Taylor told WRBL. “Fentanyl can kill on the first use — and this man, allegedly, was out there poisoning our community like there was no tomorrow.”
The case began on or around July 20, when investigators received an anonymous tip that Mitchell was allegedly selling drugs from a vehicle near a Circle K in Phenix City.
Deputies responded, located the suspect vehicle, and deployed a K-9 unit, which alerted to the presence of narcotics. Inside the car, deputies found fentanyl, opioids, Xanax, MDMA, Suboxone, THC vapes, and marijuana. They arrested Mitchell on the scene, seizing his 2018 Dodge Charger and $13,000 in cash.
Although they believed more drugs were likely stored at his home, investigators lacked the legal grounds for a search warrant — so they waited.
“This is old-fashioned, solid police work,” said Taylor. “Our team was patient. They followed the law. They didn’t push the boundaries. And that patience paid off.”
Just days ago, deputies learned Mitchell had outstanding bond revocation warrants related to the earlier drug arrest. Armed with those, Russell County’s STAR Team (SWAT) moved in on his residence on 22nd Street Thursday night.
Mitchell was taken into custody without incident, and deputies say they found drugs on his person. After freezing the property and securing a search warrant, investigators uncovered a full-scale narcotics operation inside the home.
According to the sheriff’s office, the following items were seized from Mitchell’s residence:
• 2,344 grams (approx. 5 pounds) of fentanyl
• 274 grams of methamphetamine
• 360 grams of cocaine
• 32 grams of amphetamines
• 28 grams of opioids
• 28 grams of heroin
• 20 grams of MDMA
• 28 grams of Xanax
• 20 Suboxone strips
• 4 grams of LSD
• 23 pounds of marijuana
• Psilocybin mushrooms
• A pill press for manufacturing counterfeit pills
• Promethazine/codeine cough syrup, including some mixed with grape juice
• THC vapes and “buds” packaged in cartoon-themed bags
• Four firearms, including one untraceable “ghost gun”
• $171,000 in cash
Taylor noted that some of the packaging — especially the THC — appeared designed to appeal to children, with superhero graphics and fruit-flavored labels. Several items were stored in glass vials resembling those used in marijuana dispensaries.
“Just walking into that house, you could smell it,” Taylor said. “This wasn’t some small-time operation.”
In an interview with WRBL, Sheriff Taylor said he believes the bulk of the drugs recovered, particularly the fentanyl and methamphetamine, originated in Mexico and were trafficked into the community.
Mitchell is currently being held without bond in the Russell County Jail, where he awaits his first appearance before a judge. Officials say he faces at least eight felony trafficking charges involving different narcotics.
District Attorney Rick Chancey said Mitchell’s previous bond has already been revoked following the new arrest. “He should be in jail awaiting final disposition of all his charges now,” Chancey said.
Additional charges may also be pending. Investigators say children were present at the residence and that the Department of Human Resources (DHR) has been notified. Charges like child endangerment could be presented to the grand jury in the coming months.
“This man wasn’t even on our radar,” Taylor said. “He was a sleeper. But thanks to one anonymous tip, we got him — and we stopped a massive amount of poison from hitting our streets.”
District Attorney Chancey echoed the message: “This case is proof that if you see something, say something. Your call could save a life.”
Both men urged community members to report suspicious activity to law enforcement, even if it seems minor.
Taylor said the operation appeared centered at the 22nd Street residence and that authorities do not believe additional stash houses are involved at this time. However, investigators are still combing through evidence.
“It doesn’t look like this was part of a larger web — he may have been the head of it, at least for this area,” Taylor said. “He was allegedly making and distributing his own pills, and we found all the equipment and packaging to support that.” Mitchell was renting the home, which means the residence itself likely can’t be confiscated.
Both Sheriff Taylor and DA Chancey emphasized just how deadly fentanyl is — especially for unsuspecting users who may think they’re taking something else.
“One dose can kill,” Taylor said. “Young people don’t realize that. They think they’re taking a Xanax or a Percocet, but if fentanyl’s in it — it could be their last mistake.”
The Russell County Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone with information about illegal drug activity to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling the department’s non-emergency tip line at (334) 298‑6535. Sheriff Heath Taylor says community tips—like the one that sparked this investigation—are critical in getting dangerous drugs like fentanyl off the streets.
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