Police department reminds public of fentanyl dangers

With Halloween approaching, the Hawaii Police Department is reminding the public to be aware of the dangers of fentanyl, which has been recovered by police during drug arrests across the island.

Last month in East Hawaii, vice officers made six fentanyl-related arrests, recovering 475 M-30 fentanyl pills and 0.9 grams of powdered fentanyl.

In West Hawaii, vice officers also made six drug arrests last month, recovering 69 M-30 fentanyl pills and 55.7 grams of powdered fentanyl.

From Jan. 1 through Sept. 30, East Hawaii police recovered a total of 1,718 M-30 fentanyl pills and 2.3 grams of powdered fentanyl, while police in West Hawaii recovered 2,550 pills and 218.9 grams of powdered fentanyl.

“This drug is way more dangerous than anything else we’ve encountered in recent years,” said Detective Jesse Kerr of HPD’s Area I Vice Section. Kerr is 24-year-veteran of the department, who has worked in Vice for more than four years.

One of the factors making illicit fentanyl so dangerous is that it is 50 times more deadly than heroin, according to HPD. Plus just a tiny amount of fentanyl, as little as two milligrams (about one grain of Hawaiian salt) can be fatal in a nonopioid-tolerant person.

Drug traffickers are disguising fentanyl as legitimate prescription pills, such as Adderall, Xanax and OxyContin, or pressing it in colored pill form such as rainbow fentanyl, police said.

“We used to see blue colored pills,” Kerr said, “and now we’re seeing fentanyl pills in all different colors as the drug traffickers try to elude law enforcement.”

“The risk is that people might unintentionally ingest something not realizing it may contain fentanyl,” said Capt. Thomas Shopay of HPD’s Area II Criminal Investigation Division. “People of all ages should always make sure they know the origin of the medication they take and to not take pills from unknown sources, even if they come from friends.”

Shopay said the drug landscape is dramatically different from even just a few years ago and encourages all parents and caregivers to be educated about current drug threats and to have informed talks with their kids.

Tips for parents/caregivers

What parents and caregivers need to know about illicit fentanyl and fake pills:

— Encourage open and honest communication with your kids.

— Explain what fentanyl is and why it is so dangerous.

— Stress not to take any pills that were not prescribed to you from a doctor.

— No pill purchased on social media is safe.

— Make sure they know fentanyl has been found in most illegal drugs.

— Create an “exit plan” to help your child know what to do if they are pressured to take a pill or use drugs.

Drug traffickers are using social media to advertise drugs and conduct sales, according to HPD. If you have a smartphone and a social media account, then a drug trafficker can find you. This also means they can find your kids who have social media accounts.

To learn about emoji codes used on social media, visit Emoji Drug Code Decoded on www.dea.gov/onepill.

If you encounter prescription medication or drugs of unknown origin, don’t touch them. Try to determine the item’s identity by checking with people who could have placed it there. If unable to determine its origin and the drug-related item seems suspicious, notify HPD at (808) 935-3311.

Recognize poisoning

An individual experiencing fentanyl poisoning may exhibit one or more of the following: drowsiness or unresponsiveness; constricted or pinpoint pupils; slow or no breathing.

If these signs are observed, call 911 and provide a description of the circumstances. Follow directions from the dispatcher until emergency medical services arrive.

An option may be to administer Naloxone, if it is available and you have received training in its administration. The Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center offers a free dose of Naloxone to all residents of Hawaii at https://www.hhhrc.org/naloxone.

Report suspected fentanyl trafficking

If you have information on suspected fentanyl trafficking please contact police at (808) 935-3311. Additionally, reports can be made for East Hawaii to the Area I Vice section tip line at (808) 934-8423, or for West Hawaii to the Area II Vice Section tip line at (808) 329-0423.