Seven fatal overdoses over the past 12 days has led Toronto police to issue a public safety alert regarding a batch of “dangerous narcotics” being sold in the west side of the downtown core.
Since Aug. 2, officers have been called to multiple overdoses in the area bordered by Dufferin Street, Jameson Avenue, Dupont Street, Spadina Avenue and the waterfront.
Seven of these overdoses were fatal, investigators said.
The drugs responsible for these fatalities are a “deadly batch of fentanyl or carfentanil,” according to police.
“Seven deaths in the city would be alarming – this is seven deaths in one division,” Const. David Hopkinson told CP24 on Tuesday night. “The difficulty is that it is very easy for these drugs to get outside of that domain and affect other people.”
“We are putting out a warning to people in the city, especially those people that use these two drugs, there may be a bad batch or wherever they are getting it from, they are getting too much of the drug and it is causing these fatalities.”
Officers said if anyone comes into contact with fentanyl or carfentanil, which is 100 times more potent than fentanyl, they are advised to attend a hospital emergency room or a walk-in clinic for immediate treatment.
Some Toronto police officers were equipped with naloxone kits, a life-saving drug that can temporarily block the effects of an opioid overdose, at the beginning of July.
All sergeants and officers in specialized squads, including emergency task force, integrated gun and gang task force, drug squad, and police dog services, were part of the first rollout. A total of 1,034 officers have the medication on their unity belt.
In Toronto, firefighters and paramedics are all equipped with the drug as well.
News of these deadly overdoses comes after the provincial government put a pause on approving three planned overdose prevention sites in Ontario. The sites would allow drug users to inject themselves under the supervision of a nurse.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact investigators at 416-808-1400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously 416-222-TIPS (8477).
