Editor’s note: The Orange County Sheriff’s Department issued the following news release on Oct. 17, 2019: The Orange County Sheriff’s Department has seen a marked increase in seizures of fentanyl thus far in 2019, with one recent seizure equaling almost half of the total amount of fentanyl seized in the entire year of 2018. Multiple enforcement, narcotics, gang and interdiction teams covering OCSD contract cities and unincorporated areas work tirelessly to interdict illicit drugs. Pharmaceutical fentanyl, a synthetic opioid pain reliever, is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. Illicit fentanyl, sold on the street, started…