Lab tests show purple drug is carfentanil, WRPS say

Lab testing has confirmed the purple-hued drug seized by Waterloo Regional Police Service earlier this month is carfentanil.

The drug was discovered on March 22 by officers during an investigation.

It was initially thought to contain fentanyl, or may have been a fentanyl-heroin mix that has caused multiple overdoses in the Hamilton area.

• Overdose alert issued for purple substance suspected to befentanyl

The Waterloo Region Integrated Drugs Strategy issued an overdose alert about the drug earlier this week, warning of the potential dangers of using the drug.

Police said Health Canada testing confirmed it to be carfentanil, a drug 10,000 times more potent than morphine and which has been used in some cases as an elephant tranquilizer.

Police noted this is the first time this type of carfentanil has been seized in the region, noting it had a 'play dough' like consistency.

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Carfentanil was discovered in green pills circulated on the black market in November 2016 and in a powder form in October 2017.

The drug strategy reminded users to never use drugs alone and to have a naloxone kit at the ready just in case of an overdose.