Khawaja Mansoor Munir, aged 41, has been released on bond after being accused of possessing large quantities of fentanyl in his apartment near the Texas Medical Center. He faces charges of possession with intent to distribute and manufacture controlled substances. Munir was apprehended on Thursday and posted a $75,000 bond on Sunday.
Law enforcement officials, including multiple agencies, conducted a raid on Munir’s second-floor unit at the Co-Op Apartments on Main Street near Kirby. During the operation, which lasted over 12 hours, authorities discovered approximately 50 pounds of fentanyl, along with around 20 pounds of methamphetamine and smaller amounts of heroin.
The alarming discovery has left experts like Dr. Asim Shah, a professor and executive chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, deeply concerned. He emphasized the potential lethality of such a large quantity of fentanyl, underscoring the danger it posed to the community.
Court records reveal that Munir previously faced a similar charge, albeit for a smaller quantity of drugs, last year. However, the charge was dropped in January due to “insufficient evidence.”
The sheer potency of fentanyl is underscored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s assertion that just one kilogram of the substance could potentially cause the deaths of half a million people. With approximately 52 pounds of fentanyl discovered in Munir’s apartment, the potential risk to public health is staggering.
Dr. Shah highlighted the inherent dangers of fentanyl, noting its potency and lack of regulation, which can result in unpredictable variations in potency, making it even more hazardous.
Munir is scheduled to appear in court again on July 10 to face the charges against him.
