Cartoon Network Unknowingly Made Part of Drug Smuggling Ring

Cartoon Network has long been a premier spot for animation fans to watch old and new properties that help push the medium to new heights. With the channel still hitting new heights in a world where streaming is king, the cable network has inadvertently been made a part of a drug smuggling operation, through no fault of their own. In a new report, a Florida “fentanyl sting” resulted in a serious amount of drug shipments stopped by law enforcement, with a surprising brand placed on the bricks of fentanyl. In a recent report, the wild tale breaks down the smuggling operation and how Cartoon Network was inadvertently made to be a part of it.

WFTV Channel 9 reported that eight people have been accused of trafficking fentanyl into Florida, making for the largest drug bust in the history of Polk County. The drugs were stored in car batteries, with the Cartoon Network logo placed on many of the bricks. Why the Warner Bros cable network logo was used for each of the shipments remains a mystery at this point in time, made stranger by the fact that they were stored inside batteries, seemingly making the need for the logos unnecessary. Reportedly, sixty-four pounds of fentanyl were attained by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

The alleged drug runners were seemingly part of two drug cartels, running the fentanyl through Phoenix, Arizona, Atlanta, Georgia, and then finally Polk County, Florida. Seventeen pounds of fentanyl pills were seized in the southern state, leading to drug trafficking charges for those involved. You can check out the full report below.

Cartoon Network’s Future (Sans Fentanyl)

While cable television is going through challenges thanks to the progression of technology and the advancement of streaming, Cartoon Network is still producing quality animated properties at a steady clip. The network is still creating shows and animated features that will often find homes on the likes of HBO Max and Hulu, with a prime example being the upcoming “The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball.” On top of the animated fare airing during the day, Cartoon Network still owns the night with both Adult Swim and Toonami, creating original works that range from surreal comedies to hard-hitting anime adventures.

Cartoon Network itself originally premiered in 1992, meaning that the channel has over thirty years of history since Warner Bros first launched the platform. While the cable network has changed over the years, it has stayed, for the most part, committed to airing animated programming that has appealed to several different generations. With the media landscape continuing to change, it will be interesting to see how Cartoon Network does the same and whether its presence in the streaming world will change as a result.

Want to stay up to date on the latest works of Cartoon Network? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Adult Swim, Toonami, and more and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

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