KANSAS CITY, Kan. —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after they seized more fentanyl in the Kansas City, Kansas area.
On January 22, the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department Narcotics Unit seized over 10,000 counterfeit prescription pills laced with the highly potent drug fentanyl.
The seizure, made during a routine sweep of a local shipping distribution center, has a street value of upwards of $100,000.
"We want dealers and suppliers to know that Kansas City, Kansas is not the place to be doing business," Captain John Diaz of the KCKPD Narcotics Unit said.
"We are conducting routine sweeps with the assistance of drug-sniffing k-9s in a variety of facilities, including those that process packages. Last year, as part of the Violent Crimes Task Force we seized about 150,000 pills and expect to seize even more in 2023."
The pills seized are nearly identical to those dispensed by pharmacies but contain potentially lethal amounts of fentanyl, a drug that is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Once ingested or inhaled, an overdose can occur in a matter of seconds or minutes.
In 2022, Kansas City, Kansas recorded 174 drug overdoses and 40 were fatal. The majority were related to fentanyl.
If you are with someone who exhibits symptoms of overdose such as shallow or no breathing and becomes unresponsive after ingesting or snorting a drug, call 911 immediately. If you have any information regarding the sale of fentanyl, or any illegal drugs, please call the KCKPD Narcotics 24-hour Hotline at 913-573-6287. You may remain anonymous