Regional Police seize purple suspected fentanyl, overdose alert issued

Health officials are out with a warning to drug users, as a purple substance has been found in our region for the first time — and it may be laced with fentanyl.

An overdose alert was issued, after Regional Police seized a small amount of the drug, along with a quantity of crystal meth, during the arrest of an individual in Kitchener last week.

The substance has a consistency very much like Play-Doh with a purple tinge, and has been sent out to Health Canada for testing.

But police think it may be similar to a fentanyl-heroin mix that’s been linked with several overdoses in the Hamilton area. Staff Sgt. Sloden Lackovic, head of the drugs and firearms unit, says they were alerted when the purple substance surfaced in Hamilton, but up until now, it hadn’t been detected in our region.

“We suspect that this may be linked, or this may be the purple heroin-fentanyl that’s been discovered in Hamilton,” Lackovic says.

Lindsay Sprague, coordinator with the Integrated Drug Strategy, says the overdose alert was triggered once the seizure was made.

“When we feel there is a new substance in our community, or a substance that could be tainted with a more toxic substance, that is when we issue an alert to our community, ” says Sprague.

She adds this should serve as a reminder that even trace amounts of fentanyl can be potentially lethal. They want drug users to know the substance is in circulation locally, and there could be a risk of overdose.

“Always use with someone else,” says Sprague, “and to have a Naloxone kit ready.”

The individual was charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking.