On Thursday, March 22, Glendale police narcotics detectives initiated surveillance on a suspected prescription pill dealer in the City of Glendale. During surveillance, detectives observed Jofreh Davtian and Boris Mkhitarian engage in a narcotics transaction with an individual who had driven from Orange County to purchase narcotics from Mkhitarian and Davtian. Detectives detained all parties and recovered $400 in cash on Mkhitarian’s person and a 100-count bottle of Alprazolam (Xanax).

Detectives authored and were granted a search warrant for Davtian’s residence located in the northwest portion of Glendale. The search revealed a converted garage where Davtian lived. Within one of the walls of the garage was a makeshift hidden compartment that contained three boxes of the infamous opiate based narcotic syrup Promethazine w/codeine. A total of (25) 473 ML bottles were recovered and were determined to be pharmacy grade supply. In addition, a large sum of U.S. currency was recovered from a safe and additional pill bottle of Alprazolam (Xanax).

Mkhitarian was arrested on suspicion of sales of Alprazolam (Xanax) and Davtian was arrested on suspicion of sales of a controlled substance. Both were booked at the Glendale City jail.

Alprazolam (XANAX) is a Schedule IV controlled substance that is widely abused by all ages. In the City of Glendale in particular, young children and young adults are abusing the drug. This in turn has led to the abuse of much more potent controlled substances such as opiate based narcotics like Vicodin, Norco, OxyContin, and Promethazine w/codeine. Many of these opiate-based pharmaceutical drugs have led to the use of illicit opiates like heroin and Fentanyl. This trend continues to grow and often leads to overdose and death.