Miami DEA veteran goes to Fort Lauderdale church to warn about fake fentanyl pills

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Drug Enforcement Administration’s contemporary warning at a church in Fort Lauderdale: “Two milligrams of fentanyl powder — enough to fit on the end of a pencil — can be deadly.”

Physicians have used the powerful drug most commonly to deal with continual most cancers ache. But about a decade in the past the synthetic drug took cling of the narcotics darkish internet black marketplace within the U.S.

China focused chemical providers after classifying fentanyl as a managed substance in 2019. But the DEA warns prison chemists have persevered to gas the fatal drug epidemic.

“These pills look identical to ones provided by a pharmacy,” Mark Skeffington, the DEA Miami box place of job’s deputy particular agent, stated all through the meeting at the First Baptist Church.

Skeffington later added, “Drug trafficking organizations are using brightly colored pills in an attempt to target young Americans.” The pills are referred to as “rainbow fentanyl.”

Skeffington additionally warned about purity issues. Illegal fentanyl from time to time has xylazine, a tranquilizer veterinarians use. Luis Albino, a DEA supervisory intelligence analysis specialist, stated this makes it inexpensive.

“It reduces the amount of fentanyl required to make the fake pills,” Albino stated in a observation.

While ultimate yr, the DEA reported seizing the similar of 376 million deadly doses, this yr to this point the DEA has seized the similar of 93 million deadly doses.

It has transform a unending fight. Unable to stay the counterfeit pills from making it to South Florida communities, Skeffington stated neighborhood partnerships are key.

“We can’t reach into schools, communities, and churches as effectively without the partners in this room,” Skeffington stated.

The match on the church at 301 East Broward Boulevard was once a part of the DEA’s preventive “Operation Engage” marketing campaign as an means to public well being and protection national. There had been workers of Broward County’s public colleges, hearth rescue, and legislation enforcement.

“Partnerships are key,” Skeffington stated. “We can’t reach into schools, communities, and churches as effectively without the partners in this room.”

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