Powder seized from Borden Drive home was fentanyl: Yellowknife RCMP

An unknown powderseized from a Yellowknife home over the weekend has been identified as furanyl fentanyl, an opioid drug similar to fentanyl, according to RCMP.

As part of an investigation into suspected opioid drug overdoses in the city last week, police blocked off the Borden Drive home on Saturday. Specialists from the Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement and Response (CLEAR) teams from British Columbia and Alberta were flown in to help with the search.

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An unknown substance was seized and sent for processing at a Health Canada laboratory in British Columbia.

Police say the substance has been identified as furanylfentanyl, an opioid analgesic that is an analog of fentanyl.

In a news release, RCMP Sgt. Dean Riou of N.W.T.'s Federal Investigations Unitsays this is the first time this form of fentanyl has been found in the territory.

"While we cannot link this seizure directly to the illicit opioid overdoses that were seen last week, we can confirm that it was involved in a suspected drug related event at the residence," he said in the release.

The residence was released from police custody Saturday evening. Police say there was no identifiable danger to the public from the residence once the CLEAR teams were able to process the scene.