Halifax police issue warning after tests confirm seized pills were potent opioid

Halifax Regional Police say they seized a potent synthetic opioid during an impaired driving investigation earlier this fall, and have issued a public warning about the powerful drug.

On Wednesday, police said a Health Canada laboratory has confirmed that pills found during the Sept. 30 investigation contained N-desethylisotonitazene.

Const. John MacLeod said police in the municipality have seen similar synthetic opioids in recent years, but this is the first time this version of the drug has been seized.

The pills were white and shaped like triangles, with "DD" notched on one side and "8"on the other.

"Clearly, the way it's being produced is to look like something else that it's not," MacLeod said. "That's our concern, is that in this format people may be taking it without knowing what it is they're taking."

Some nitazenesmore potent than fentanyl

N-desethylisotonitazene is part of a group of drugs known as nitazenes, which according to the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addictioncan in some cases be several times more potent than fentanyl.

Nitazenes were first detected in the illegal drug supply in Canada in 2019, and the centre said in a report last year thatthey "typically appear unexpectedly" in other opioids, such as oxycodone and fentanyl.

MacLeod said he didn't know how many pills were seized in the September investigation. One person was charged with impaired driving, but MacLeod said he didn't believe any drug charges have yet been laid.

In 2020, Halifax police seized 1,900 pills containing a similar drug,isotonitazene. In that case, five people were charged.