Alert: Counterfeit Painkillers Containing Fentanyl Found In El Paso County
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) -- The Colorado Springs Police Department is warning the public that counterfeit Percocet tablets containing fentanyl are being distributed throughout El Paso County, including the Colorado Springs community.
"Fentanyl and its analogues come in several forms including powder, blotter paper, patch, tablets, sprays, and liquid. It is also appearing in the form of counterfeit, or look-a-like, tablets sold as prescription painkillers such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, Percocet, as well as the anti-anxiety drug Xanax," authorities said in a statement released Monday. "Recent seizures of counterfeit tablets have occurred in our community, wherein the tablets actually contained Fentanyl.
"These Fentanyl tablets are marked to mimic the authentic narcotic prescription medication and have led to multiple overdoses and deaths," authorities stated.
The CSPD Metro Vice, Narcotics, and Intelligence Division seized 3,766 dosage units of Fentanyl, most of which was in the form of counterfeit oxycodone and Percocet prescription tablets.
"Fentanyl, a synthetic opiate painkiller, is being mixed with heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine to increase its potency and drive profits. The danger lies in the fact that many dealers and buyers may not know exactly what they are selling or ingesting," investigators stated. "Many users underestimate the potency of fentanyl, as it is 40 to 50 times stronger than street-level heroin. Fentanyl can be lethal and is deadly even at very low doses. A lethal dose of Fentanyl is estimated to be about two milligrams, but can vary based on an individual's body size, tolerance, amount of previous usage, and other factors."
