Photo by Curtis Galbraith

By Curtis Galbraith/Shaun Penner

Drugs and Crime

RCMP testing turns up dangerous mixtures in seized drugs

Nov 7, 2019 | 2:03 PM

Grande Prairie RCMP’s Drug Section says lab testing has turned up stronger drugs in what were initially believed to be heroin and cocaine.

Those included carfentanil and fentanyl. Other substances found in the mixtures tested include methamphetamines, benzodiazepine, and caffeine.

Grande Prairie RCMP Constable Luc St-Hilaire says the samples tested were seized by police over the last year.

“These days, there’s very little heroin on the street, if any at all. Most of it is because fentanyl is a lot cheaper than heroin. Heroin is a very expensive drug when it has to be imported into Canada. Fentanyl is much cheaper, so what you’re going to see is fentanyl with caffeine or carfentanil with caffeine. They’re adding other things on top of it and selling it at the price of heroin.”

He adds this makes the drugs a lot more dangerous.

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“For example, you see fentanyl and carfentanil with the cocaine, that’s (because) opiates is a much stronger addiction. So, what’s going to happen is you buy a gram of cocaine thinking it’s cocaine but really it has a bit of meth., it has a bit of fentanyl, carfentanil in it. Therefore, users will end up getting addicted a lot faster.”

St-Hilaire says users will also tend to go back to the same drug dealer to get these mixtures.

He adds users have no idea what they are getting when they buy drugs these days.

“It’s not like back 20 years ago if you were buying cocaine, it was more likely cocaine and maybe a few other cuts in there like caffeine or a couple other things. Now, there’s just no idea what you are getting anymore. It’s just really user beware.”

He adds anyone who has use drugs should not do it alone, should use a safe injection site, and have something like naloxone close by.

Mounties are asking anyone who sees an overdose to call 911 right away. The signs of an overdose include dizziness and confusion, small pupils, blue lips or nails, clammy skin, and slow, weak, or no breathing.

Anyone who sees drug activity is asked to contact their local detachment or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.”