Pressure builds to ban pill presses to fight drug overdose crisis

Last month, B.C.’s top doctor declared a public health emergency following another surge in fentanyl-related deaths.

Now Global News has learned about how easy access to pill presses makes the problem worse and what police say about those selling them in this province.

The pill presses can be used to produce thousands of pills an hour, including fentanyl, W18 and other potentially deadly illegal drugs.

The presses are illegal in the United States, unless they are approved by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

WATCH: Some say the sale of pill presses is contributing to the fentanyl crisis. Rumina Daya explains how, and what police are saying about the sellers.

2:14 Pressure builds to ban pill presses to fight fentanyl crisis

Even pharmacies and vitamin companies must register with the Drug Enforcement Administration, but the situation is much different in Canada because pill presses are legal.

“These presses are being used to help make pills that are killing a lot of people,” said Deputy Chief Mike Serr with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.

“We really don’t have a lot enforcement power at this point as far as the importation of pill presses or their purchase.”

READ MORE: Fentanyl fact sheet: what it is and what it does

Dozens of pill pressers are available on eBay.

Another website, “The Tablet Press Club,” lets people buy a $3,000 pill presser, which makes almost 5,000 pills an hour. The site says the deluxe version, which sells for $10,000, can produce more than 16,000 pills an hour.

The website’s business address is a home in Coquitlam, owned by Martin Tarko.

While there’s no suggestion he’s doing anything illegal, Global News wanted to ask him about who’s buying the presses and what they are using them for.

The only comment came from a woman who talked to Global News through the blinds in the house.

“It is what it is,” she said. “We’re just a normal family and he’s running a perfectly legal business, and that’s what it is.”

WATCH: How big has the fentanyl problem become on Vancouver’s streets? Those involved in the drug scene say it’s all but replaced heroin. Randene Neill explains why.

1:46 Is fentanyl the new heroin?

In Alberta, pill presses will soon be regulated. It will be the first province to take this action. The government there is moving quickly to deal with the crisis of hundreds of overdose deaths from fentanyl.

“We need to stop this,” said B.C. NDP Public Safety Critic Mike Farnwoth. “The fact that they’re legal in this province is ridiculous.”

But the B.C. Liberals think a national strategy will be more effective.

“If we had a national policy, where they would be illegal across Canada, then there would be no question anytime we found one,” said Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Morris.

Health Canada is working on a framework for pill presses, but time is running out. Health officials are worried B.C.’s overdose death toll could top 800 this year alone.