Alaska State Troopers say lab tests showed the presence of the powerful painkiller Fentanyl in heroin seized from a village where four people recently overdosed on heroin, including one woman who died.
Troopers say 19-year-old Jamie Roberts died in the village of Quinhagak died earlier this month and two others were flown to Bethel, where they were treated and released. Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peterson says the fourth person was treated locally.
According to troopers, heroin seized in the community of 700 contained more Fentanyl than heroin. Troopers say that ratio is a first for Alaska.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50 times stronger than heroin that’s responsible for a recent surge in overdose deaths in some parts of the nation.
