The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has issued an alert about Mexican drug cartels manufacturing mass quantities of counterfeit prescription pills for distribution in North America.
Based on a sampling of tablets seized nationwide between January and March 2019, DEA found that 27% contained potentially lethal doses of fentanyl, a dangerous synthetic opioid that is lethal in minute doses.
“Capitalizing on the opioid epidemic and prescription drug abuse in the United States, drug trafficking organizations are now sending counterfeit pills made with fentanyl in bulk to the United States for distribution,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “Counterfeit pills that contain fentanyl and fentanyl-laced heroin are responsible for thousands of opioid-related deaths in the United States each year.”
Fentanyl and other highly potent synthetic opioids remain the primary driver behind the ongoing opioid crisis, with fentanyl involved in more deaths than any other illicit drug, DEA said.
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.
