The Blood Tribe Police Service is warning the public about a highly-concentrated batch of drugs in the community after responding to a large number of overdoses on the reserve Friday and Saturday.
Police and Blood Tribe EMS said they responded to 15 overdoses on the reserve in southern Alberta over a 24-hour period starting at around noon Friday.
Of those overdoses, one person died. Officials said the death was not being considered suspicious but an autopsy would determine the cause of death.
“The amount of overdoses that we’ve had in this 24-hour period is not normal,” Blood Tribe Police Service Insp. Farica Prince said.
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Following police investigations and information from the community, Prince said police suspect the overdoses were related to the same drug.
“We have seen this kind of trend or unfortunate crisis happen before and it has been related to one specific dealer, one specific trafficker,” Prince said.
According to the most recent opioid surveillance report from the province, there were 3,028 emergency and urgent care visits related to opioids and other drug use in the second quarter of 2020.
Police are urging the community to check on their vulnerable loved ones and alert authorities about any information regarding the import or sale of illicit drugs.
Blood Tribe police can be contacted at 403-737-3800 or through email at oxy@bloodtribepolice.com. The public is also encouraged to reach out to Crime Stoppers to provide anonymous tips.
“We would suggest that the drugs that are in Kainai right now are likely in other parts of southern Alberta, and we want people who are suffering from addiction to reach out and be safe,” Prince said.
Narcan kits, which prevent the effects of an overdose in a nasal spray formula, can be found for free at the Blood Tribe Detox Centre in Standoff.
Naloxone is also available at many pharmacies across Alberta.