Nearly 400 pills that RCMP initially thought were fentanyl have been confirmed by Health Canada to be carfentanil, an opioid that is 100 times more potent than fentanyl.
The pills were seized during a vehicle stop near Fort McMurray on May 24.
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Wood Buffalo RCMP arrested three people from Fort McMurray who were later charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.
Lab results later confirmed the pills were carfentanil, an “analog of the synthetic opioid analgesic fentanyl,” RCMP said in a news release.
“It’s one of the most potent opioids known.
“It is listed under Schedule I of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act,” RCMP explained. “A minute dose of as little as 20 micrograms would be fatal to an average human.”
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Police said there is no known application where carfentanil would be safe for human use.
RCMP warn that illegal drugs are not tested and do not meet any safety standards. Products manufactured illegally from substances such as carfentanil can lead to serious personal injuries, even death.