Charleston Police Warns Public About Dangerous Drug
Charleston, S.C. - The Charleston Police Department has learned that Xylazine, a powerful veterinary tranquilizer, has recently been identified as being used as an adulterant in illicit drug mixtures. It is most commonly encountered in combination with fentanyl but has also been detected in mixtures containing heroin, cocaine, and a variety of other drugs. The CPD Laboratory has identified xylazine in numerous drug seizures.
Over the past week, Clarendon County reported 8 overdoses from the ingestion of blue tablets. These tablets appear to be oxycodone. The CPD Laboratory has identified fentanyl and xylazine in blue tablets that looked like those depicted below. Others forms of pills may exist as well.
Xylazine is often added to heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and benzodiazepines by illicit drug manufacturers to boost the effects of those drugs. People may be unknowingly exposed to xylazine while using other illicit drugs; most particularly fentanyl. Because xylazine is not an opioid, it does not respond to Narcan.
The potential side effects of xylazine, an animal tranquilizer, can be extremely dangerous for humans if ingested. The public is urged to use extreme caution.
Committed to Truth, Transparency, and Timeliness Lt. C. Taylor ● Sgt. E. Wolfsen ● Insp. Michael Gillooly ● Sgt. L. Mixon ● Sgt. C. DuBose Facebook: Charleston Police Department ● Twitter: @charlestonpd ● Instagram: @charlestonpolicedepartment
