RCMP release video showing another side of Fentanyl crisis
Police say fentanyl has brought an added element of danger to the RCMP and first responders. Featuring real life stories of RCMP officers who came into contact with Fentanyl while on duty, it is a sober reminder that anyone can be affected by the toxic drug.
The video was released a month ago. On October 20 a routine RCMP traffic stop in Nanaimo led to the seizure of one kilogram of fentanyl, one of the largest seizures of the drug in B.C. One kilogram of powdered fentanyl can be pressed into hundreds of thousands of tablets. This translates into a massive street-level value. Fentanyl is being cut into heroin and cocaine to increase potency and extend supplies, leading to an alarming spike in fatal drug overdoses across the country.
RCMP have taken extreme precautions in dealing with and storing fentanyl, given the danger of accidental exposure. The national force is in the process of distributing naloxone nasal spray, an opioid antidote that can reverse the effects of an overdose.