Lethbridge police say the presence of the deadly drug carfentanil was detected in a drug bust that took place over the summer.
The drugs were found during the July 31 arrest of a 29-year-old woman who was suspected of drug trafficking.
At the time, investigators recovered cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl pills and a bag containing an unknown powder.
The unknown substance was sent to Health Canada’s lab for analysis and the results received this week confirmed the presence of carfentanil.
Carfentanil is a veterinary drug used to tranquilize elephants and other large animals.
It’s 100 times more potent than fentanyl and 1000 times more potent than heroin.
Police say a dose smaller than a grain of salt can be fatal to a person.
The province says there were 32 deaths linked to the drug in 2016 and as of May this year, carfentanil is suspected in 34 deaths.
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