by Morinville News Staff
St. Albert – RCMP have confirmed a lethal drug is circulating in the Edmonton region. Pills sold as Oxycontin in St. Albert have been analysed by the RCMP Drug Lab and are determined to be Counterfeit Oxycontin, which was actually Fentanyl in this case. Police say counterfeit Oxycontin has been connected to two deaths of men in their early 20’s in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan earlier this month.
RCMP believe these counterfeit Oxycontin pills have been seen in Edmonton and other surrounding communities as well. The pills have the number 80 on them, are a round convex shape, and are blue-green in colour.
“The community should be concerned,” said Inspector Kevin Murray, the Officer in Charge of the St. Albert RCMP, in a release Wednesday afternoon. “RCMP Drug investigators tell me that fentanyl is 80 times more toxic than morphine.”
Police say Health Canada issued a warning about the dangers of fentanyl in October of 2013, referring to it as a “powerful opioid pain medicine,” and stating “exposure to fentanyl can be very dangerous and even lead to death.”
Overdose signs include slow or weak breathing, dizziness, tiredness, extreme sleepiness, confusion, difficulty talking or walking, hallucinations and seizures.
The St. Albert RCMP Drug Unit are continuing to investigate the case. Anyone with information is asked to call the St. Albert RCMP at 780-458-7700.
