Police worried over suspected carfentanil powder seized in St. Catharines

Police say they have seized, in St.Catharinesfor the very first time, a drug believed to be the extremely powerful opioid called carfentanil.

Niagara regional police say a man was arrested at a hotel Monday afternoon and a bag of suspected carfentanil powder was seized. Asample of the powder has been sent to Health Canada for analysis and to confirm its potency.

Const. Phil Gavintold CBC News that the seizure is extremely concerning both for the general public and for first responders who could come into contact with it.

"We look at the lethality or the potential lethality of a drug such as carfentanil. We're talking about sizes of a grain of salt with potential lethality," he said."That's very concerning."

Carfentanil is 100 times more potent than fentanyl and is commonly used to tranquillize elephants.

A 34-year-old St. Catharines man is charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of a controlled substance.

He's being held for a bail hearing Tuesday.