Carfentanil is 100x more deadly than Fentanyl

SEATTLE – The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division is warning the public after a seizure of counterfeit M30 pills containing carfentanil in Western Washington.

On Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, after a months-long investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Federal Way Police and Centralia Police seized 50,208 pills from a defendant at a Centralia gas station. A K-9 alerted to narcotics and located the pills inside the vehicle.  The driver, from Pacific, Washington, was arrested and is facing federal charges. The drugs were tested in the field and sent to the DEA Western Laboratory in Pleasanton, California for further testing. Lab tests revealed the pills did not contain fentanyl, instead they were carfentanil and filler, acetaminophen.

Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid originally developed for veterinary use, more specifically to tranquilize large animals such as elephants. It is extraordinarily potent and not approved for human use. In fact, it is estimated to be 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times stronger than fentanyl. 

“Carfentanil is like fentanyl on steroids,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Seattle Field Division. “The cartels traffic this incredibly dangerous substance in order to profit from our misery.”

Because of its strength, a nearly microscopic amount of carfentanil can induce a powerful, and often deadly, effect in humans. 

In an effort to increase drug potency and profits, carfentanil has been found mixed with other drugs or pressed into pills that look like prescription painkillers. This increases the likelihood of fatal overdose and poisoning deaths, especially among users who are unaware they are ingesting such a powerful substance.

Over the past two decades, synthetic opioids have increased the threat of the ongoing opioid epidemic. Nearly 70% of all drug poisonings and overdose deaths in 2023 involved synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl. Also, among these substances is carfentanil, which stands out – at this time – as one of the deadliest fentanyl analogues. This white, powdery drug closely resembles other substances like fentanyl or cocaine, but its danger far exceeds that of nearly any other opioid on the street. 

Carfentanil is a chilling reminder of how the opioid epidemic continues to evolve and introduces new threats at an alarming pace. 

DEA, local law enforcement, and first responders have recently seen an increased presence of carfentanil in the illicit drug market, which has been linked to a number of overdose deaths in various parts of the country.

According to the CDC, deaths involving carfentanil increased approximately sevenfold – from 29 deaths from January to June 2023, to 238 deaths from January to June 2024. Carfentanil has now been detected in 37 states.  The King County Medical Examiner’s Office reports six carfentanil related overdoses in 2024, and four so far in 2025.

The majority of carfentanil seizures throughout 2024 were in a pill or tablet form, not the typical powder form previously encountered. This trend is concerning due to the increased risk of overdose and deceptive appearance.

Exposure to carfentanil can cause respiratory depression or arrest, drowsiness, disorientation, sedation, pinpoint pupils, and clammy skin. The onset of these symptoms usually occurs within minutes of exposure. Its rapid effect on the central nervous system leaves little time for life-saving interventions.

Treating an overdose involving carfentanil is extremely difficult. While naloxone is widely used as an emergency antidote for opioid overdoses, it may not be effective against carfentanil in normal doses. Multiple, high doses of naloxone may be required, and even then, effective reversal of an overdose is not guaranteed.

One pill can kill

To protect yourself, never take a pill that was not prescribed to you by a doctor and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. If you suspect someone has been exposed to carfentanil or is experiencing symptoms of overdose, call 911immediately and administer naloxone, if available.

Learn more:

Carfentanil: A Synthetic Opioid Unlike Any Other .

Warning: Thousands of Counterfeit M30 Pills Containing Carfentanil Seized in Western Washington

Information provided by DEA Seattle.