LAURENS, S.C. — A dangerous drug has been found in a South Carolina town disguised as another leading to a warning from a small-town police department.
Laurens Police said that officers wanted to spread awareness following the discovery of fentanyl pills on Wednesday night that were intentionally made to look like oxycodone HCl pills.
According to the department, the pills are being made to look like 30-milligram tablets of the Schedule II controlled substance. The pills are round and stamped with a "V" on one side and "4812" on the other, police said, which are the identifiers on real oxycodone pills.
However, the pills found do have some noticeable imperfections that may help the community identify them.
For one, the department said the pills aren't "professionally pressed" meaning some were falling apart. The pills also vary in color from light blue to dark blue. Some also have a light green tint.
Police said the practice of making fake pills laced with or made of fentanyl is not new and is a problem nationwide. However, the concern that someone may take them thinking they are another substance poses a safety risk as fentanyl can be deadly.
Anyone who comes into contact with pills matching these descriptions, even if they don't ingest them, should contact law enforcement, the department said.
