LAPLACE — Police have linked a local man to illegal Xanax dealing, adding it’s the second time since 2016 that he’s tried to deal thousands of the popular sedative’s pills.

According to the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, when arrested Oct. 16, 26-year-old Brandon Jared Zar was on probation for possession with intent to distribute Xanax, which stemmed from a massive investigation in 2016 that “resulted in the recovery of approximately 250,000 doses of Xanax.”

Zar, of LaPlace, was arrested last week after detectives found evidence of the alleged sale of narcotics at his residence on Madewood Road.

The Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division had been investigating Zar for possible narcotics distribution after intercepting a package addressed to the suspect Oct. 12.

Inside the package addressed to Zar, officers discovered 1,000 Xanax pills.

Police said narcotics officers executed a search warrant at Zar’s residence Oct. 16, discovering items directly connecting “Zar to the intercepted package containing Xanax, drug paraphernalia and marijuana.”

Zar is charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession or distribution of drug paraphernalia 1st offense and conspiracy to distribute Xanax (alprazolam).

He is being held in custody in lieu of $71,500 bond.