Barbara Latkowski
Caledonia Courier
The Fort St. James RCMP recently confirmed the presence of fentanyl in a local drug seizure.
A Controlled Drugs and Substances Act search warrant was executed in a residence in Fort St. James in November.
Several hundred green pills were seized. Samples of these pills have been analyzed, and police can now confirm these pills contain heroin and fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a highly potent and addictive synthetic opioid analgesic that is estimated to be up to 100 times more potent than morphine. The effects of fentanyl are unpredictable. Users have no idea of the level of purity or the potency of what they take.
"The alarming thing about this seizure is not just that the pills contain fentanyl but the concentration of fentanyl the pills contained, could be fatal”, said Sgt. Poppy Hallam, Operations Non-Commissioned Officer of the Fort St. James RCMP.
"Our officers have been warned to take extreme care in handling pills due to the potential for transfer and serious illness. These drugs are so potent, even skin contact can affect a person."
Fort St. James RCMP would like to remind residents that there is no such thing as a "bad batch" of synthetic drugs, because there is no good batch. Every tablet represents a potentially serious health risk.
"Hundreds of pills were taken off the streets which we believe most likely reduced the amount of potentially life threatening overdoses. We are committed to the safety of the community and it is our priority to investigate the sale of illicit drugs and get those drugs off our streets,” Hallam said.
For more information about Fentanyl, visit www.knowyoursource.ca
The Fort St. James RCMP cannot do it alone so if you have any information about the sale of illicit drugs, please contact the Fort St. James RCMP at (250) 996-8269, or if you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).