A deadly drug that looks like candy is now in Upstate New York, police say.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office told WHAM-TV that “rainbow fentanyl” has been confirmed on the streets of Monroe County. The brightly colored pills, which are said to resemble SweeTarts candy, are 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
“We never thought we’d have something that looks like candy coming in and being fentanyl,” Deputy Michael Favata told the Rochester TV station.
Favata, part of the Monroe County sheriff’s heroin task force, said fentanyl is the leading cause of overdoses in Monroe County. Most victims are in their 30s, he said, but he issued a warning to parents of young children as Halloween approaches.
“Check your candy,” Favata told WHAM. “I remember growing up it was the razor blades in apples or we had to look for needles, that was the big thing. So parents are ripping everything open - that’s where we’re at.”
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the colorful rainbow fentanyl, also known as M30, may be used by traffickers to target kids and young adults to get them hooked on the drug. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid and there is no way to know how much is concentrated in a pill or powder; just two milligrams of fentanyl, which is equal to 10-15 grains of table salt, is considered a lethal dose.
“Rainbow fentanyl—fentanyl pills and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes—is a deliberate effort by drug traffickers to drive addiction amongst kids and young adults,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The men and women of the DEA are relentlessly working to stop the trafficking of rainbow fentanyl and defeat the Mexican drug cartels that are responsible for the vast majority of the fentanyl that is being trafficked in the United States.”
The DEA said trafficker-quantities of rainbow fentanyl were seized in New York City recently. One person was arrested with approximately 15,000 fentanyl pills, concealed in a LEGO box; the drugs were imprinted with “M” and “30″ to resemble “30 M,” or Oxycodone Hydrochloride 30 mg pills.
This photo provided by the DEA shows trafficker-quantities of rainbow fentanyl, concealed in a LEGO box; that were seized in New York City.
Latesha Bush, 48, of Trenton, N.J. was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court last Friday on charges of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first and third degree. Bail was set at $25,000 cash/$150,000 insurance company bond/$100,000 partially secured surety bond.
“Disguising fentanyl as candy – and concealing it in children’s toys – will never hide the fact that fentanyl is a deadly poison that harms our communities, our families, and our city,” Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said in a statement.
Rainbow fentanyl has also been seized in other U.S. states, including California, Oregon and Arizona. The drugs were previously colored blue to appear as legitimate prescription drugs, but have been given “pretty” colors to attract more users.
“If they are trying to put that out to kids, they are trying to kill kids,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Howard Fuchs told the Orange County Register last month. “All it takes is one pill and it will likely lead to death.”
This photo provided by the DEA shows trafficker-quantities of rainbow fentanyl, concealed in a LEGO box; that were seized in New York City.
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