NH State Police warn of pills sold as Oxycodone that are actually fentanyl

CONCORD — The New Hampshire State Police Narcotics and Investigations Unit is involved in a number of ongoing drug investigations in the Merrimack County area. Over the course of the past several weeks, investigators have seized large quantities of tan colored tablets marked M30. The M30 marking is typically found on 30 milligram oxycodone tablets; however the 30 mg oxycodone tablets are blue, not tan.

These tablets were submitted to the state Forensic Laboratory for analysis. The Forensic Laboratory concluded that the only controlled drug found in the tablets was fentanyl. There was no oxycodone present. A photo of the fentanyl tablet is below as well as a photo of an actual 30 mg oxycodone tablet for reference. The diameter of the fentanyl tablets was consistent with the size of a legitimate M30 oxycodone tablet.

The New Hampshire State Police wants to make the public aware of these counterfeit tablets. Individuals illicitly purchasing tablets believed to be oxycodone may actually be receiving these fentanyl tablets. This could potentially create an overdose hazard. Drug dealers will many times sell substances that are not what they claim resulting in drug users being unaware of what they are actually ingesting. This illustrates yet another danger of the illicit drug trade.

Fentanyl was found in these tan pills sold as Oxycodone. (Courtesy NH State Police)

Actual Oxycodone pills are blue. (Courtesy NH State Police)