Police say a synthetic opioid described as “fentanyl on steroids” has been seized during a drug bust in Florida.
West Palm Beach police seized $1.6 million worth of N-Desethyl Isotonitazene — better known as ISO — during a raid, according to reports WPBF.
Authorities discovered the deadly drug in powder, pill and brick form during searches of a home and storage unit earlier in July.
‘[The substances] “came back 50 times more potent than the normal fentanyl that we normally deal with,” said Lt. Joe Herb.
“Fentanyl is normally very dangerous. Now we’re talking about 50 times more powerful.”
West Palm Beach police seized $1.6 million worth of N-Desethyl Isotonitazene — better known as ISO — during a raid
Lt. Joe Herb (pictured) said the drug was 50 times stronger than regular fentanyl and that he had never seen anything like it in his 34 years as a narcotics officer.
According to police, the only other time they heard of ISO being found was in Philadelphia.
One unidentified person has been arrested in connection with the discovery. Herb said the drug is being sold on the streets of the Sunshine State and he fears it will lead to more overdoses.
“This is scary. I’ve been a police officer for 34 years. I’ve been on drugs most of my career. This is scary,” Herb said.
“If you breathe that stuff in, or if you grab it and you touch your eyes, or you grab your mouth or something like that, there is a real concern now.”
In powder form, ISO can be yellow, brown, or off-white in color depending on the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Doctors told the local news channel That ISO is a different compound than fentanyl, but that both substances are found in other illicit drugs, is concerning.
“As scary as it sounds, it’s not surprising that these synthetic opioids are going there,” said internist Dr. Pedram Rad of HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital.
“This drug is actually about 60 to 70 years old. It was originally developed as a pain medication, and it was never approved by the FDA in the United States.”
Authorities discovered the deadly drug in powder, pill and brick form while executing search warrants at a home and storage unit earlier in July
Doctors said ISO is a different compound than fentanyl, but the fact that both substances are found in other illegal drugs is concerning.
Medical experts advise that anyone who may have ingested ISO should be taken to a hospital for treatment and to always have NARCAN on hand.
“They can slow the heart and breathing and cause brain damage or death. If you’re taking this on the street, where it’s not controlled, and you don’t know what dose you’re getting, those are the kinds of things that can happen to you,” said Dr. Olayemi Osiyemi, an infectious disease physician at St. Mary’s Medical Center.
‘The strength of these drugs can cause someone to go into a coma and die very quickly.’
A recent report from the CDC shows that there were a record 107,941 overdose deaths in 2022. This is the most recent data available. This equates to 295 deaths per day and a one percent increase from the previous year.
The main driver of the increase was fentanyl, which is deadly even in small doses. The illicit drug was responsible for nearly 70 percent of the deaths.
Preliminary figures for 2023 suggest the epidemic will continue to grow, with 110,640 people expected to die in the 12 months to October that year.