DEA warns of deadly counterfeit pills with fentanyl, meth

In its first public safety alert in six years, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration warned Americans about a sharp uptick in counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.

More than 9.5 million counterfeit pills have been confiscated so far this year, a DEA news release said, which is more than the last two years combined. DEA said that lab tests found at least two milligrams of fentanyl in the pills — a lethal dose.

Oxycontin, Percocet, Vicodin and Adderall are among the counterfeited pills, and they are manufactured to look like real prescription medicine, the agency said.

“What is particularly alarming is how these pills are often marketed and packaged as legitimate prescription medications. To the naked eye they appear to be the same pill you would get at a local pharmacy, when in fact they often contain lethal dosages of fentanyl,” said Keith Martin, DEA Detroit Division special agent in charge, in the release.

Deaths from drug overdose are also at record-breaking levels, the release said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated a total of 93,331 drug overdose deaths in 2020 alone.

The DEA said the counterfeit pills are often sold via social media and e-commerce platforms, which puts them within a minor’s reach.

However, the agency said this alert doesn’t apply to legitimate, pharmaceutical medications prescribed and dispensed by pharmacies. “The legitimate prescription supply chain is not impacted. Anyone filling a prescription at a licensed pharmacy can be confident that the medications they receive are safe when taken as directed by a medical professional,” DEA said.

For more information on counterfeit pills, go to www.dea.gov/onepill.