Cops warn of fake oxycodone pills laced with FENTANYL after multiple overdoses including one boy aged just 16
Fake oxycodone pills may have been laced with fentanyl have caused multiple overdoses — one being a boy just 16 years old, police have warned.
The potentially deadly counterfeit pills have been designed to look like the prescription painkiller, but are really 30 to 50 times stronger.
A 16-year-old boy and three men ages 19, 23 and 27 all overdosed on the pills, prompting the warning from Kansas police, KAKE reported.
One 19-year-old died after consuming just one pill, KAKE reported.
“Small amounts of Fentanyl are toxic, and people are dying because of ingesting this drug. Even just touching Fentanyl can put you at risk,” the Wichita Police Department said in a statement.
“The counterfeit pills appear from their markings to be legitimate Oxycodone pills,” police said.
WPD added: “however, upon testing, the pills are confirmed to contain Fentanyl instead of the ingredients of authentic Oxycodone.”
Pictures show the deadly pills stamped with a line and a number “30”, or with the letter “M” inside a square.
Police warned that some drug dealers may not even be aware they are selling the deadly laced pills.
WPD said “any narcotic or prescription drug not purchased with a doctor’s prescription at a legitimate pharmacy should be considered unsafe and could potentially contain Fentanyl or other harmful substances.”
Police advised people if they think someone has overdosed to call 911, administer naloxone immediately if available, and to begin rescue breathing.
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Over recent years, fentanyl overdose deaths have been on the rise.
In 2011, 1,633 people died from overdoses of the deadly drug, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
Just five years later, however, the number of deaths increased drastically to 18,335 deaths — a staggering 1024 percent increase.
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