50,000 Counterfeit Pills Seized At Centralia Gas Station—Classic Hits 100.7 News

Federal and local authorities seized more than 50,000 counterfeit pills containing carfentanil during a traffic stop at a Centralia gas station last week.

The stop was part of a months-long investigation involving the DEA, ATF, Federal Way Police, and Centralia Police. A K-9 alerted to drugs inside a vehicle, leading to the arrest of a Pacific, Washington, man who now faces federal charges.

While initial tests showed fentanyl, DEA lab analysis confirmed the pills contained carfentanil, a synthetic opioid used to tranquilize large animals. The pills were pressed to resemble oxycodone tablets known as counterfeit “M30s.”

Carfentanil is estimated to be 10,000 times stronger than morphine and 100 times stronger than fentanyl. Officials say even trace amounts can be lethal, and multiple high doses of naloxone may not reverse an overdose.

DEA Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge David Reames called carfentanil “like fentanyl on steroids” and warned it is appearing more often in pill form.

According to the CDC, nationwide deaths linked to carfentanil rose from 29 in the first half of 2023 to 238 in the first half of 2024. The drug has now been detected in 37 states.