U.S. alerts warn of fentanyl‑laced counterfeit pills in Colorado, Utah, Ohio

Federal investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Field Division reported that laboratory testing of seized tablets in Colorado and Utah uncovered counterfeit pills containing lethal mixes of fentanyl with either carfentanil—a veterinary tranquilizer up to 100 times more potent than fentanyl—or heroin. The pills, described as blue‑green, were recovered during separate law‑enforcement actions in the Denver area, the Western Slope and the Salt Lake City region. DEA special agent in charge David Olesky warned that any pill not prescribed by a licensed provider can be deadly and urged the public to avoid unknown pills, call 911 and use naloxone if an overdose is suspected.

Separately, Ohio’s Narcotics Intelligence Center issued public‑safety bulletins alerting that the state’s drug supply now includes new synthetic opioid analogs (orphines) and veterinary sedatives such as medetomidine and xylazine, neither approved for human use. Ohio Department of Public Safety Deputy Chief of Staff Cynthia Peterman emphasized the unpredictable, polydrug mixtures and advised first responders and the public to be prepared with naloxone and emergency care. Both agencies stress heightened overdose risk and the need for community awareness.