Fentanyl has been discovered and seized for the first time at a provincial correctional facility in Nova Scotia.
According to the Department of Justice, a package with “unknown contents” was found during a routine search on Feb. 9 at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth.
WATCH: Overdoses in Nova Scotia jails calls for Naloxone
The package was turned over to Halifax Regional Police and sent to Health Canada for testing.
The results were received on May 4 and confirmed the presence of fentanyl.
Police are continuing to investigate the incident.
“Nova Scotians are reminded that the illegal consumption of opioids, including fentanyl, can be lethal. If you are going to use street drugs of any kind, do not use alone, always carry naloxone and if someone is in distress, call 911,” the department said in a news release.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia looking to buy body scanners to cut down on goods smuggled into jails
The department also pointed out Correctional Services recently purchased five body scanners to identify drugs, weapons and other contraband.
The scanners are being installed and will “soon be operational.”