Ohio Sees Increase in Deadly Fentanyl-Related Drug

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A major drug trafficking bust in Pickerington has exposed a resurgence of one of the most lethal synthetic opioids known to law enforcement: carfentanil.

The case, announced by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, is part of a broader concern as law enforcement and forensic scientists identify a growing presence of dangerous fentanyl-

related drugs across the state.

Authorities discovered 3,723 pills stamped to appear as prescription oxycodone during the arrest. Lab testing by the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) revealed the pills were actually carfentanil—a synthetic opioid 100 times more potent than fentanyl and 10,000 times stronger than morphine. Originally developed as a tranquilizer for large animals like elephants, carfentanil is not approved for human use.

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