# Cyclorphine synthetic drug emergence and fatalities > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/cyclorphine-synthetic-drug-emergence-and-fatalities > Updated: 2026-09-20T20:16:15.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2. Health officials and law enforcement have identified a potent synthetic designer drug, cyclorphine, which is linked to numerous fatal overdoses. Described as being up to ten times more powerful than fentanyl, the substance is often mixed with methamphetamine, cocaine, or bromazolam. In the United States, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has categorized it as a Schedule I substance following a threat advisory from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). While significant overdose clusters have been tracked in Tennessee, the drug has been detected in 19 US cities and 10 counties. Recent law enforcement activity in San Francisco resulted in the arrest of four suspects and the seizure of approximately 20,000 counterfeit pills. The crisis has expanded internationally, with the substance identified in Toronto, Montreal, and London. Investigations suggest that international drug cartels are utilizing decades-old research data—specifically from a 1967 synthesis by Janssen Pharmaceuticals intended for severe pain treatment—to replicate the narcotic using modern manufacturing and pill-pressing technology. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-20: Cychlophorine synthetic opioid detected in US and international markets Cychlophorine, a synthetic opioid originally developed in 1967 but never approved for public use, is spreading across US cities and internationally, linked to recent fatalities and counterfeit pill operations. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cychlophorine-synthetic-opioid-detected-in-us-and-international-markets ### 2026-09-20: Cyclorphine synthetic drug linked to fatal overdoses in the US U.S. officials are warning against cyclorphine, a potent synthetic designer drug up to ten times stronger than fentanyl, linked to numerous overdose deaths. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cyclorphine-synthetic-drug-linked-to-fatal-overdoses-in-the-us --- Cite as: Cyclorphine synthetic drug emergence and fatalities. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/cyclorphine-synthetic-drug-emergence-and-fatalities