The Dutchess County Sheriff is warning the community of a 'killer among us."

In a statement released to their Facebook page, The Dutchess County Sheriff's Office reports that since January of 2022 "several thousand counterfeit prescription pills containing Fentanyl" were seized through investigations conducted in the Dutchess County area by the Dutchess County Drug Task Force.

Additionally, they add that in September 2022 alone, "DCDTF seized more than 2,000 counterfeit prescription pills." What makes these counterfeit pills especially dangerous is that they "imitate real prescription 30mg Oxycodone pills" that come in a light blue color and have  “M-30” imprinted on them.

Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous drug as The Dutchess County Sheriff's Office explains writing:

"Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. According to the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal.

In 2021, there were over 100 fentanyl overdoses in the Dutchess County area. The CDC reports that "107,622 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2021, with 66 percent of those deaths related to synthetic opioids like Fentanyl."

According to the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office, a person overdosing on fentanyl may experience clammy skin, cyanosis, and changes in pupil size, coma, or any form of respiratory distress. They add that if you or someone you know is showing similar signs contact 911 immediately.

Recently, police in Westchester issued a public safety alert warning the Yonkers community of 3 fatal overdoses linked to suspected fentanyl-laced heroin.

The Dutchess County Drug Task Force is urging those who may be struggling with addiction to reach out to services like the Dutchess County HELPLINE at 845-485-9700, the Stabilization Center at 230 North Road in Poughkeepsie or visiting DutchessCounty.gov for other options.

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