New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman visited Western New York on Thursday to announce the seizure of Fentanyl-laced drugs targeting unsuspecting users.
In an ongoing nationwide investigation, 500 pills of Oxycodone were intercepted en route from the west coast to Western New York. But the almost unnoticeable difference about these pills is that they’re not Oxycodone at all.
“When we took the pills to the lab, we discovered it wasn’t ‘Oxy’ at all, it was something much more dangerous – a toxic mix of Acetaminophen and Fentanyl,” said State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
Schneiderman said while the batch of pills is now in his office’s custody, it’s possible that other fentanyl-laced pills have already made it to local streets. Just making physical contact with them can cause adverse effects, and because the number of grains of Fentanyl in each pill varies, so could the results.
“There are pills that we’ve tested that will kill you. There are pills that just have a few grains. That’s why we call it Russian roulette. You might survive, but you might not,” Schneiderman explained.
While the investigation into the network behind the pills continues, Schneiderman is urging any would-be users to steer clear of Oxycodone that doesn’t come direct from a pharmacy. For anyone who may have the pills already, he is encouraging disposal at official drop-off sites, and assuring the public that users are not the target of his investigation.