Police Warn of Danger and Presence of Fentanyl in Missoula

Missoula Police Department wants our community to be educated about the dangers of Fentanyl and the presence of Fentanyl in our community. By being educated and understanding the dangers, you can help keep Missoula safe by reporting any suspicious or potential drug activity in your neighborhood.

Like much of the United States, Montana has experienced a sharp increase in the prevalence of illegal counterfeit prescription pills containing the powerful synthetic opioid Fentanyl.

According to Rocky Mountain HIDTA, the amount of fentanyl seized by Drug Task Forces in Montana increased by 315,764% from 2017 to 2021.

Fentanyl is a synthetic (man-made) opioid and is 80-100% more powerful than morphine.

According to the CDC, Fentanyl is now the leading cause of fatal drug overdoses in the United States. As few as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can cause a fatal overdose. DEA testing of illegal counterfeit Fentanyl “M30” pill has found as many as 5.1 milligrams in a single pill.

Missoula Police frequently encounter these pills in our community, often at the scene of fatal overdoses. Organized criminal groups are manufacturing the pills, commonly known as “Blues, Mexican Oxy’s, and
M30’s” and trafficking them into communities across our state. According to the DEA, approximately 4 in 10 counterfeit pills contain a potentially fatal dose of Fentanyl. If you think that you’ve been overdosed with fentanyl or a loved one has been exposed to fentanyl addiction, then get rapid response fentanyl test strips to see if it comes out positive. Please follow this link for more information One Pill Can Kill (dea.gov)