Police Union Leader in California Faces Charges for Allegedly Smuggling Opioids into U.S.

The head of a police union in the San Francisco Bay Area faces federal charges for allegedly smuggling thousands of synthetic opioids into the U.S. from multiple countries with the intent to distribute them.

San Jose Police Officers Association Executive Director Joanne Marian Segovia, 64, has been charged with attempt to unlawfully import a controlled substance — specifically valeryl fentanyl, a fentanyl analog — according to a complaint filed in federal court earlier this week.

Between 2015 and 2023, Segovia received 61 shipments that were labeled “Wedding Party Favors,” “Shirts Tops,” “Gift Makeup,” “Chocolate and Sweets,” “Food Supplement,” “Health Product” and “Supplement,” originating from countries including Hong Kong, Hungary, India and Singapore, according to the complaint. In reality, they were illicit drugs, prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California allege.

Read the source article at abcnews.go.com