LOUDON COUNTY, Va. (AP) - – A Northern Virginia sheriff is warning that counterfeit pills have led to two overdoses.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office sent a warning Sunday that its detectives have been investigating two deaths that are believed to involve painkiller pills that were likely counterfeit. Both cases are pending toxicology.
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The sheriff’s office said that street-level pills are often laced with fentanyl and other agents that can be harmful.
“Any counterfeit prescription pills purchased online or on the streets may can contain Fentanyl or other cutting agents. These substances, when added to the counterfeit pills, can easily and quickly cause death,” said Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman.
The Virginia sheriff says that his warning follows a similar alert by Frederick County, Maryland, health officials after non-fatal overdoses there were attributed to counterfeit pills. It’s not clear if the cases in the two states are linked.