The Colorado Springs Police Department is alerting the public to the growing prevalence of a synthetic opioid believed to be 100 times stronger than fentanyl.

Carfentanil, a synthetic drug originally developed for veterinary use on large animals like elephants, is one of several “fentanyl analogues” — substances similar in chemical structure — currently in circulation, and according to the Drug Enforcement Administration, it is one of the deadliest.

Two milligrams of fentanyl is enough to kill someone, according to the federal drug agency. A near-microscopic dose of carfentanil — .02 milligrams — can be lethal.

As of Nov. 12, CSPD had recorded 61 fatal drug overdoses in 2025, with 29 of them — nearly half — involving fentanyl or carfentanil, officials said Monday.

The presence of the deadlier opioid appears to have grown in recent months. Seizure efforts by CSPD and the Colorado Springs Resident office of the DEA have yielded more than 700,000 fentanyl pills this year. Since September, nearly 28,000 of those pills had at least a small amount of carfentanil, according to a Monday news release.

“Over the past few months, we’ve seen a much higher volume of tablets containing carfentanil,” said Sgt. Jeff Edmonds, a narcotics sergeant with CSPD.

Law enforcement agencies across the U.S. are seeing an increased presence of the drug, and with it, a surge in overdose deaths, officials said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, carfentanil deaths increased eightfold from the first six months of 2023 (29 deaths) to the first six months of 2024 (238 deaths).

Many of the seized pills were made to look like legitimate prescription medications, with “M30” stamped on them, CSPD said. The pills’ deceptive appearance could increase the danger of accidental overdoses.

“We’ve seen a wide variety in the dosages in these M30 pills,” Edmonds said. “You could have one pill that contains a very small amount, or you could have a pill with 2 or 3 times the lethal dose. It just depends on how they’re manufactured.”

The pills come mostly in shades of blue and green, but the colors do not “provide any evidence to suggest the potency and/or the presence of fentanyl, carfentanil, or a combination of the two,” the release stated.

Standard doses of Narcan, an opioid antagonist that has saved tens of thousands of lives by reversing overdoses, may not be effective against carfentanil, police said. A person who overdoses on carfentanil may need “multiple high doses” of Narcan to reverse the drug’s effects.

Anyone who finds pills or powder they suspect to be fentanyl is advised not to touch the drugs or clean the area themselves.

“We want to prevent any kind of accidental exposure,” Edmonds said. “We don’t want people trying to clean it up, or trying to handle the tablets or the power. It’s much safer to call the authorities and let us take care of it.”

Having participated in numerous drug seizures, CSPD narcotics officers have specific protocols for securing a scene and handling drugs to ensure they don’t risk exposing themselves, Edmonds said.

“We wear proper protective equipment, whether that be gloves or masks,” he said. “We have machines that can take away any vapors or particulates that could become airborne.”

Any suspected narcotics activity should be reported to CSPD at (719) 444-7000. Callers who wish to remain anonymous can contact Pikes Peak Area Crime Stoppers at (719) 634-STOP [7867] or submit a tip online.

Edmonds stressed that a person who reports an overdose has a degree pf protection under Colorado’s good Samaritan Law. The law states that “a person is immune from criminal prosecution for an offense when the person reports, in good faith, an emergency drug or alcohol overdose even to a law enforcement officer.”

“What we’re seeing a lot of times is, when someone is experiencing an overdose, people are afraid to call law enforcement because they think they are going to get in trouble,” Edmonds said.

“So they spend time trying to hide narcotics and clean up the scene as opposed to rendering aid and calling for help. For offenses like minor narcotics possession, drug paraphernalia, you’re immune from prosecution if you call for help, render aid, stay on the scene with the victim, and cooperate with law enforcement. Call for help. We don’t want to see any more people die from this epidemic.”