The Greater Sudbury Police Service would like to bring the public’s attention to the confirmed presence of fentanyl powder in our community.
Earlier this month, the Greater Sudbury Police Service’s Integrated Crime Team seized a quantity of heroin, referred to on the street as “Purple Heroin”. The seized Heroin was sampled, analyzed and confirmed by Health Canada to have been mixed with fentanyl powder.
The Greater Sudbury Police Service is committed to Community Safety and Well-Being and working collaboratively with Community Partners, thus through the Community Drug Strategy a Fentanyl Alert associated to the street name of “Purple Heroin” was issued yesterday.
Our service wants our community to be aware of the dangers of “Purple Heroin” and Fentanyl, as this illicit drug can be lethal in very small doses.
Unlike the fentanyl patch (which is prescribed), fentanyl powder and fentanyl analogues can take many different forms. These powders and analogues can be mixed with other controlled substances, such as heroin, or can appear in counterfeit tablet form.
Counterfeit tablets containing fentanyl are often produced to appear like other prescription pills such as oxycodone; fake/pressed pills can easily crumble into powder and lose their structure.
With dangerous illicit opioids such as Carfentanil and Fentanyl being accessible, all persons need to use extreme caution and not ingest or take any substance that is not prescribed.
For those persons who suffer from addiction and use street level drugs, please take all safety precautions such as using small doses, never be alone, and have Naloxone readily available in case of overdose.
If anyone, at any time, is using a prescribed or illicit drug and is in need of emergency medical care due to an overdose; no matter the circumstances, never fear or hesitate calling for help by dialing 9-1-1.
For accidental overdoses, the priority for Emergency Service responders is to render medical assistance and to prevent a tragic death.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by fentanyl or any other controlled substance and you wish to provide the Greater Sudbury Police Service with information about the origin, please contact us at 705-675-9171 or contact Sudbury Rainbow Crime Stoppers at 705-222-TIPS (8477). All information will be treated as confidential.
