Grants Pass, OR — A coordinated drug enforcement operation led by multiple local and federal agencies culminated Friday morning with the execution of a search warrant on Lower River Road, just outside the Grants Pass city limits. The operation, which took place at approximately 9:30 a.m., targeted a residential property as part of an ongoing effort to disrupt the distribution of fentanyl in Southern Oregon.
The raid involved the Grants Pass Police Department, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Rogue Area Drug Enforcement Team (RADE), the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Central Point Police Department, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. The search of the property yielded more than half a pound of fentanyl, multiple firearms, and a 3D printer reportedly used to manufacture “ghost guns”—untraceable firearms without serial numbers.
Also found on-site were several suspicious devices, prompting the Oregon State Police Bomb Squad to respond to ensure the area was safe and secure. The use of 3D printing technology to produce illegal weapons has become a growing concern for law enforcement, as these devices allow individuals to bypass traditional gun control regulations.
Authorities arrested 38-year-old Christopher Smith, who was residing in a trailer on his parents’ property at the time of the search. Smith was taken into custody and booked into the Josephine County Jail. He faces charges related to the delivery and possession of fentanyl and is expected to be charged at the federal level for multiple firearms violations.
This operation is part of a larger regional initiative aimed at tackling the flow of illegal narcotics, particularly fentanyl, which has increasingly become a public health and safety threat in rural Oregon communities. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid significantly more potent than heroin, has been linked to a surge in overdose deaths across the country, and law enforcement agencies are working to stem its distribution at the local level.
The Rogue Area Drug Enforcement Team (RADE) is a regional, multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that operates with the mission to identify, disrupt, and dismantle local, interstate, and international drug trafficking organizations. The task force employs an intelligence-based and prosecutor-supported strategy to target drug operations that span jurisdictions and utilize sophisticated networks.
RADE operates under the umbrella of the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), which is part of a federally funded program designed to enhance the effectiveness of drug control initiatives across state lines. The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA includes personnel from the Grants Pass Police Department, Oregon State Police, Josephine County Community Corrections, and the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office.
The HIDTA program itself is overseen by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and provides essential funding and coordination support for multi-agency enforcement efforts like the one seen in this latest operation. The program’s goal is to reduce drug trafficking and its harmful consequences through shared intelligence, collaborative strategies, and sustained enforcement actions.
While the recent bust removed a significant quantity of illegal drugs and weapons from the local area, authorities emphasize that it represents just one step in an ongoing campaign to confront and dismantle the region’s illicit drug trade. Officials say continued vigilance and cooperation between agencies will be key in addressing the broader crisis driven by synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
As the investigation continues, law enforcement agencies involved in the operation are expected to release additional information, including the outcome of pending federal charges and any potential links to broader trafficking networks operating in the region.