Authorities in Maine say they seized half of a $1.8 million payload of heroin and fentanyl as part of a drug bust in Massachusetts Friday that they believe was bound for their state.

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency announced today that 4.4 pounds of the potentially lethal drug they and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents intercepted in Massachusetts, combined with close to 4 pounds more that was seized from two vehicles in Sanford, Maine, is the largest in Maine's history.

Details of the Bay State bust, as part of a related investigation that started Jan. 13, are not being released at this time, the Herald was told.

The approximately 8 pounds of the heroin and fentanyl mix is the equivalent of 35,000 individual doses, according to Maine Public Safety Commissioner John Morris.

"The arrests and seizure have likely saved a number of lives from drug overdoses in both Maine and New Hampshire from this poison," Morris said.

Authorities arrested a man and woman from Maine earlier this month on drug trafficking charges. They say "a number of suspects have been identified," and more arrests are anticipated.

Jason Bolduc, 39, of Parsonsfield, Maine, and Nichole Farrar, 35, of Sanford, Maine, each remain held on $25,000 bail.

Bolduc is suspected of having sold the drug out of his home on the Maine-New Hampshire border for the past four months, the MDEA said.

Investigators have to date seized $180,354 in cash, several handguns, ledger books detailing drug sales and more than $100,000 worth of vehicles and recreational equipment as part of their investigation of Bolduc.

The other half of the drugs was allegedly found in a rental car Bolduc was driving when he was arrested Jan. 13, and in one of his personal vehicles, authorities said.