The number of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl seized by the DEA has jumped over 400% since ... [+] 2019. gettyKey FactsCriminal drug networks, operating both domestically and outside the U.S., are mass-producing fake pills and falsely marketing them as legitimate prescription pills, according to the DEA. The agency has already seized more than 9.5 million counterfeit pills in 2021, more than the last two years combined. The number of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, seized by the DEA has skyrocketed by nearly 430% since 2019. That's the percentage of seized counterfeit pills with fentanyl that contain a potentially lethal dose, according to DEA laboratory testing. It’s sitting in a pocket on your phone.”Further Reading:Drug Overdose Deaths Surged 29% Last Year Amid Covid Pandemic, CDC Says (Forbes)Sharp Increase in Fake Prescription Pills Containing Fentanyl and Meth (DEA)

Source: Forbes September 27, 2021 15:00 UTC