Federal drug enforcement officials seized over 50,000 counterfeit pills in Western Washington, laced with carfentanil, an opioid that officials warn is 100 times more potent than fentanyl.
Members of the Drug Enforcement Agency's Seattle office seized the counterfeit 30 mg pills from a driver at a Centralia gas station on Sept. 16, according to a news release.
Lab testing showed the pills contained no fentanyl but did have carfentanil and acetaminophen. Carfentanil, according to the National Institutes of Health, is a synthetic opioid marketed as a tranquilizer for large animals that is 10,000 times more potent than morphine.
Officers arrested the driver, who is from Pacific and faces federal charges. Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, Federal Way police and Centralia police were also involved in the monthslong investigation.
“Carfentanil is like fentanyl on steroids,” DEA agent David F. Reames said in the release. “The cartels traffic this incredibly dangerous substance in order to profit from our misery.”
Even a small amount of carfentanil is lethal to humans. Recently, investigators have found carfentanil in pill form, compared to powder versions previously found.
The majority of carfentanil seizures throughout 2024 were in a pill or tablet form, not the typical powder form previously encountered," the release reads. "This trend is concerning due to the increased risk of overdose and deceptive appearance.
Carfentanil-related deaths increased from 29 deaths from January to June 2023 to 238 deaths in the same period last year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Carfentanil has killed four people in King County this year and six people in 2024, the release states.
Those looking for information on opioid treatment and overdose prevention can visit st.news/overdosehelp.
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