The Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha division, seized over one million lethal doses of fentanyl in the state of Nebraska in 2022. Emily Murray of the Omaha division told KLIN News that a single lethal dose of fentanyl is just two grams, small enough to fit on the tip of a sharpened pencil.
“So, when you think that we seized more than a million lethal doses of the substance across the state of Nebraska alone, that’s pretty alarming and very eye opening,” said Murray.
Murray added, “The precursor ingredients are coming from China, they’re getting shipped over to Mexico, and the Sinaloa and CJNG cartels in Mexico are the two main drivers who are pushing these substances into our country and into the state of Nebraska.”
The Omaha division encompasses five states, including Nebraska. North and South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa are the other four. Among the five states, the DEA seized about 4.7 million doses in total.
“Fentanyl seems to be evolving. When we first saw fentanyl a few years ago, we saw it primarily in powder form. It evolved from a powder into the pressed pills that are made to look like legitimate prescription medication. The next step, which we saw toward the end of last year, was that these pills were being dyed in different colors,” said Murray. “There’s nothing to the color; it’s just another marketing ploy, so to speak.”
Murray added that the one-million figure is specific to lethal doses, and that the DEA seized additional non-lethal doses in the state throughout the year. The number is specific to the DEA and does not include anything seized by the Nebraska State Patrol or anything by county or city officials.
The DEA has a guide on telling a real pill from a counterfeit pill, which you can access on their website.