Deadly elephant tranquilizer carfentanil could be in Winnipeg, police testing seized tabs

Winnipeg police believe they have stopped a highlypotent drugamore toxic variant of fentanylfrom hitting the streets.

The police service's tactical team raided ahotel roomin the west end of the city on Monday and seized1,477 blotter tabs that theysuspect containcarfentanil, although laboratory testresults are still pending.

If confirmed ascarfentanil, the street value would beestimated at $30,000, police said.

A 37-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with numerous offences and remains in custody.

carfentanilis a powerful synthetic opioiddesignatednot for human use in the U.S. It was originally manufactured for veterinarypurposes, designed to immobilize large animalslike moose and elephants.

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One hundredtimes more potent than fentanyl, carfentanil has beeninching its way to Canada and in its wake, leaving people dead or withserious health problems.

It looksmuch like table salt and police said a dose as small as 20 micrograms would be fatal to humans. One microgram is equivalent to a dose less than the size of a grain of table salt.

Health official surprised

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority saysthere have been no reportsof anyone goingto hospital as a result of acarfentanil overdose.

But Dr. Joss Reimer, the WRHA's medical officer of health, said she's worried it's only a matter of time before an overdose happens.

"It is a bit surprising to see carfentanil coming as quickly as it has, given that it's only recently become a problem even in the [United] States, so it doesn't quite seem to be following the usual patterns that we see for other similar drugs," she said.

carfentanil is usually mixed with other street drugs such as cocaine, Reimer said.

Both Reimer and police are warning drug users, including those who use opioids like fentanyl, to make sure they're not alone with consuming drugs and they carry Naloxone, a drug that is known to reverse opiate overdoses.

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Police say because carfentanil is more toxic than fentanyl, several doses of Naloxone may be needed to reverse an overdose.

Naloxone kits can be picked up at Street Connections at 496 Hargrave St., or purchased from any pharmacy without a prescription, according to police.